29 July 2024
The new Aviation Minister Mike Kane has announced additional funding for the Reach for the Sky Challenge skills programme to encourage young people aged from four to 18 from ‘underepresented’ groups into aviation.
The announcement was made at the Farnborough International Airshow on Friday to add £1.5m to the fund, which has already helped 100,000 young people.
Reach for the Sky is in its third year. Organisations can from apply for a share of £750,000 that will help them deliver events, taster days, mentorship schemes and educational initiatives with schools and universities.
Aviation minister Mike Kane said, “Our aviation industry is one of the best in the world and it’s the talented people within it that makes it so successful – the primary purpose of leadership is to create new leaders.
“Having a diverse workforce that can effectively address future challenges – from growing passenger demand to decarbonisation – is crucial and our Reach for the Sky Challenge Fund is inspiring the next generation to be part of this ever-growing travel sector.”
The Department for Transport says barriers hindering people from joining the aviation industry including limited access to further education, financial constraints, and lack of exposure to career pathways.
Winner of a gliding scholarship via Reach for The Sky funding, Joshua Merchan-Nicholls
Previous recipients of DfT-funded schemes include 18-year-old aspiring pilot Joshua Merchan-Nicholls from Finchley, North London. Since 2021, he has been working towards a career as a commercial pilot and was recently awarded a gliding scholarship from the Air League as part of the DfT-funded ‘Soaring to Success’ programme.
Joshua said, “I was seven when I first imagined myself as a pilot and I’ve followed this dream ever since. Thanks to the Air League, I received a gliding scholarship in 2022, which gave me my first experience of solo flying and made me even more enthusiastic!
“I’m grateful that these organisations exist because they open opportunities for people like me who always wanted to fly and they show the possibility of a career to people who hadn’t considered it before.”
Joshua has started a GoFundMe page to help pay for his pilot training.
Applications for the fund are open until September and decisions will be agreed by a joint panel of the Department for Transport (DfT) and the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA), which administers the fund on DfT’s behalf.
