People and Skills
The People & Skills Working Group plays a central role in ensuring the UK aerospace sector has access to the skilled workforce needed to support long-term growth, innovation, and global competitiveness.
As the industry evolves, the group focuses on developing a strong, diverse, and future-ready talent pipeline across the entire aerospace supply chain—from SMEs to major manufacturers.
The group brings together over 50 organisations across industry tiers, Regional Aerospace Alliances, government, and education partners to design and deliver coordinated skills initiatives that address current capability gaps and future workforce needs.
Key Focus Areas
The People & Skills Working Group focuses on four core areas:
1. Workforce upskilling and capability development
Supporting the development of specialist training programmes in critical capability areas such as fatigue & damage tolerance, landing gear systems, composites, project management, and knowledge management to enhance productivity and technical excellence across the sector.
2. Building future talent pipelines
Supporting initiatives that attract and develop the next generation of aerospace professionals through apprenticeships, traineeships, work experience, and postgraduate bursaries in aerospace disciplines.
3. Strengthening education and industry collaboration
Working with education providers to better align training and qualifications with industry requirements, ensuring clear and effective pathways into aerospace careers.
4. Supporting SMEs and regional skills development
Ensuring that smaller enterprises have access to the skills development support they need, while strengthening regional capability through collaboration with Aerospace Regional Alliances and industry partners.
Role of the Working Group
The People & Skills Working Group acts as a coordination forum that brings together industry, government, and education stakeholders to:
Strategic Outcome
The Working Group’s goal is to ensure the UK aerospace sector has a highly skilled, adaptable, and future-ready workforce—capable of supporting long-term growth and maintaining global competitiveness.
