Lift off for local students with LLA Launchpad

LLA Launchpad is aimed exclusively at Luton-based students looking to pursue a career in aviation and will operate as a talent pipeline for the airport’s apprenticeship programme. Students taking part benefitted from opportunities to develop key transferrable skills needed for success in any career, including building professional etiquette and mental resilience, understanding workplace behaviours, and practicing interview skills.

LLA Launchpad forms part of the airport’s broader Classroom to Careers* programme, launched in collaboration with Skills Builder Partnership, a global not-for-profit social enterprise.

Almost 95% of students who took part in the first Launchpad event stated that they felt more confident with their essential workplace skills by the end of the programme. Rounding off a successful week, 75% of the students confirmed they are now considering a career in aviation.

Nik Jones, HR Director at London Luton Airport, commented: “What a fantastic start to the year it has been for London Luton Airport’s Classroom to Careers programme. Working collaboratively with Luton Council, and wonderfully supported by employee volunteers from across the airport, LLA is working with local schools and colleges to inspire the next generation of talent, to equip local students with the required skills and to shine a light on the many exciting career pathways that are available to them. It’s a hugely exciting time to be working at LLA and I would encourage anybody considering a career at the airport to take the plunge and apply!”

LLA Launchpad is supported by the Reach for the Sky Challenge Fund, a joint initiative between the Department for Transport and the Civil Aviation Authority. The fund supports community outreach projects that seek to inspire the next generation of aviation professionals and create opportunities for groups currently underrepresented in the sector.

Councillor Hazel Simmons MBE, the Leader of Luton Council, and Councillor Javeria Hussain, Deputy Chair of Luton Rising, the Luton Council company that owns the airport for community benefit, joined one of the sessions to share personal insights into their own career journeys.

Councillor Javeria Hussain said: “As our airport expands, it is the ambition of us all that the next generation of Lutonians is well qualified to take up the employment opportunities this will create. It was particularly heartening for both of us to see, in the week of International Women’s Day, how many young female students are interested in aviation for their future careers.”

Amanda Washbrook, Deputy Principal; Partnerships and Business Development at Barnfield College, said: “Our partnership with London Luton Airport reflects a shared commitment to developing talent that will keep the airport and town moving forward. Launchpad builds on this by giving young people direct insight into the skills, professionalism and opportunities within one of the region’s most significant employers. It offers a clear route into high value careers and apprenticeships at LLA in aviation, engineering, digital, customer service and many more. We are proud to support a programme that helps more young people see themselves as the future workforce of LLA.”

Altaf Hussain, Principal and CEO of Luton Sixth Form College, said: “For many of our students, aviation and aerospace are not abstract industries — they are part of Luton’s economic heartbeat. The Launchpad initiative brings those opportunities within reach and makes progression tangible. This is what meaningful partnership looks like: education, industry and government working together to break down barriers, develop skills and create genuine pathways into high-value careers. It aligns directly with Luton’s wider ambition to tackle inequality and unlock opportunity for young people. We are proud to play a leading role in shaping that future.”

One Luton Sixth Form College student said: “Before this, I didn’t realise how many different careers existed in aviation. Seeing the airport up close and learning about apprenticeships has made it feel achievable — not something just for other people.”