Tell us about your career to date
I come from a family of aviation enthusiasts, so establishing a career in the industry was inevitable. I started out at a small aviation recruitment company, which opened my eyes to airline recruitment. I had to call upon my plane-spotting skills, which I had honed as a child. I was immersed in studying the international regulations that govern pilot and cabin crew employment – and to this day I am still learning.
After nine years of specialist aviation recruitment, in 2012 I moved on to AeroProfessional as business manager. AeroProfessional is headed up by Nick Trollope and Julian Parker, both of whom I had previously worked with. Within two years we increased the company’s gross profits by more than 61%. I was promoted to the board – my role being sales director, with a focus on creating vision and driving strategy to continue to develop our business into a world-leading specialist provider of aviation people solutions worldwide.
What is AeroProfessional?
We are aviation people experts, and we deliver a range of recruitment and HR services to airlines and aviation companies across the globe. What sets us apart from your typical aviation recruitment agency is that all of our staff have a passion for aviation, with some being aspiring pilots or former cabin crew.
We have six areas of expertise – recruitment strategy and planning, market research and insights, search and selection, engagement and compliance services, bespoke HR solutions and flight operations support.
We have extensive experience with a variety of different international-sized airlines and aviation companies including Qantas, EasyJet and Norwegian.
What are the key recruitment challenges faced by the airline industry?
The pilot skills shortage is undoubtedly a key industry issue. We have published papers on this, taking in the views from thousands of pilots and the airlines around the world. We use this intelligence to advise clients on how to succeed in securing the very best talent for their businesses in this candidate-led market. Our next white paper is being published in August and explores how the aviation industry can ensure a continued flow of future aviation talent.
How do you see this recruitment niche evolving?
The way that airlines source and engage their workforce is changing, driven mostly by the low-cost models. Airlines are seeking more innovative means of personnel recruitment and operational support, aiming to maximise flexibility while being cost conscious. Our focus is to change and evolve with the industry, identifying where the possible pitfalls exist and developing solutions to overcome them while maintaining cost effectiveness and compliance.
Tell us about your typical day?
One of the reasons I love what I do is that there is no such thing. From managing our skilled team of recruiters, to studying changes in regulation and legislation, and travelling to ensure face time with our customers – my day can be hugely varied. Even the days where my diary is full can change at the drop of a hat – as that is the nature of the industry we are in. The one consistent element is that it always starts with a cup of tea!
What are the best aspects of your job?
Most definitely the people. If I were to leave the industry today, I believe I would struggle to find another area where the people have as much passion, enthusiasm, resilience and tenacity as they do in aviation. It is the people that make this industry what it is, and interacting with them on a daily basis is the best part of my role.
The worst?
Seeing the industry suffer from events beyond our control. Aviation is subject to all sorts of phenomena, be it fuel prices, pandemics, economic fluctuation or terrorism. These kinds of events can have a profound impact on airlines and aviation businesses. However, this also makes this the best job in the world – seeing the sheer resilience of the industry in the face of adversity. Being part of the global team that pushes on to keep the planes in the air is a great feeling.
Source: Flight International
