<p><img alt="Freelance - 2016 Predictions (Aeroplane)" src="/getasset/93dd5d11-ef2c-442f-bdae-99d876d5eb16/" /></p>
<p>The airline industry predicts 2016 will be the year of job opportunities says Stephanie Sparrow.</p>
<p><strong><em>“Recruit, train and retain”</em></strong> were three imperatives identified by Flight International editor Craig Hoyle in the 2015 Training and Development Guide, and early indications are that these pressures will continue across the expanding airline industry in 2016.</p>
<p><em>”It is a favourable time for the airline market, with low fuel prices”</em>, says Liz Loveridge, regional director North East Asia at recruiters Rishworth Aviation, who predicts that airlines across Asia, Europe and Africa will continue fleet and route expansion plans.</p>
<p>And so career hungry professionals will find new opportunities in the wake of industry growth. Airlines are taking delivery of a high number of aircraft and will need an influx of skilled recruits to match. A separate report by recruiters AeroProfessional found that 76 per cent of airlines surveyed said expect to increase their pilot numbers by 2017.</p>
<p>Some trends from 2015, such as the need for A320 and B737 aircrew, are expected to continue. As Sam Sprules director at AeroProfessional points out, this group is the single largest number of people demanded by the industry, but other skills could be in short supply as carriers are expected to accelerate their training efforts.<em> “There will be an increased demand for training capacity , which means an urgent need for more instructors”, says Sprules. “This has the potential to become a very serious bottle neck to the industry.”</em></p>
<p>With estimates that a majority of airlines could be recruiting, we look at where the opportunities lie, and ask airlines and recruitment experts for their five top tips on how job seekers should position themselves for success in 2016.</p>
<p><strong>Take your experience to Asia and China</strong></p>
<p>With a rising middle class in many parts of Asia, there is increasing demand for domestic and international travel , says Loveridge at Rishworth Aviation. <em>“Particularly regionally,”</em> she says, <em>"which is reflected in the growth in the airlines in North East Asia. There is therefore a need for experienced pilots to support this growth."</em></p>
<p>Loveridge expects that there will be increased opportunities for qualified pilots on both narrow and wide bodied fleets across Asia. <em>“Asian airlines are significantly increasing fleet numbers. With new aircraft types being delivered this is also providing fleet transition opportunities. Pilots from around the world have been flying in Korea, Indonesia and Vietnam for many years and this continues to grow”</em>, she says. </p>
<p>She also highlights Vietnam Airlines which is adding A350 and B787 aircraft to support its long-haul upgrade plans over the next three to five years.</p>
<p><em>“In addition to these new fleets, the airline is rapidly expanding its A320/321 fleet, with ten A321 aircraft scheduled for delivery in 2016, and again in 2017.”</em> She says that Vietnam Airlines will hold monthly screenings throughout 2016 to support this growth.</p>
<p>Both Loveridge and Sprules expect China to remain significant, with Loveridge pointing out that China offers lucrative expatriate contracts to pilots.</p>
<p><em>“Overall, throughout Asia there will be increased opportunities for qualified pilots on both narrow and wide bodied fleets”</em>, she says.</p>
<p><strong>Think internationally</strong></p>
<p>Many major airlines are expecting to conduct international recruitment drives. For example Emirates, which is said to have one of the largest fleets in the world and in 2015 recruited more than 11,000 new staff across its business, expects to maintain momentum in 2016 by recruiting cabin crew, pilots, ground agents and engineering staff.</p>
<p><em>“We think that 2016 will see the continued expansion of our operation, in both our global network and our fleet of modern aircraft, including the iconic Airbus A380, “ </em>says an Emirates spokesperson. <em>“As our business grows so too will our international recruitment drive.”</em></p>
<p><strong>Apply your skills to wide-body aircraft</strong></p>
<p>At AeroProfessional, Sprules emphasises the impact of the new wide-body aircraft such as the A350 and B787. <em>“As the volume of manufacturer airframe deliveries increases, we expect there to be a strong demand for relevantly skilled and experienced staff to operate and maintain these aircraft”</em>, he says.</p>
<p>Norwegian Long Haul, voted the world’s best low-cost carrier in the 2015 Skytrax Awards will be recruiting for its B787 fleet. <em>“It will need an additional 600 pilots in the next five years due to the massive expansion of their B787 fleet with an additional 30 aircraft deliveries scheduled”</em>, says Captain Torkel Wakk (Retd) Europe regional director at Rishworth Aviation.</p>
<p><strong>Consider low-cost carriers</strong></p>
<p>Growth among low-cost carriers is expected in 2016 says Sprules and this certainly seems to be evidenced at easyJet.</p>
<p><em>“Over the next 12 months we will recruit over 1,100 pilots and crew”</em>, says Carolyn McCall, chief executive of easyJet.</p>
<p>McCall was speaking in October 2015 when she opened The easyJet Gatwick Academy, which will train pilots and crew from bases across Europe.</p>
<p><strong>Display attributes for success</strong></p>
<p>Airlines are showing their commitment to diversity (easyJet for example has launched a new recruitment initiative for female pilots), and they expect recruits to show the same.</p>
<p>With employers such as Emirates now boasting a multi-lingual workforce of 135 nationalities and 55 languages, professionals from across the industry are expected to be broad-minded to other cultures, as well as safety conscious and sticklers for good customer service.</p>
<p><em>“With an increasing demand for pilots there are plenty of opportunities for pilots in growth markets”</em>, says a spokesperson for Rishworth Aviation. <em>“They need to be open to different cultures and experiences and prepared to move to airlines in expansion mode.”</em></p>
<p>The airline industry predicts 2016 will be the year of job opportunities says Stephanie Sparrow.</p>
<p><strong><em>“Recruit, train and retain”</em></strong> were three imperatives identified by Flight International editor Craig Hoyle in the 2015 Training and Development Guide, and early indications are that these pressures will continue across the expanding airline industry in 2016.</p>
<p><em>”It is a favourable time for the airline market, with low fuel prices”</em>, says Liz Loveridge, regional director North East Asia at recruiters Rishworth Aviation, who predicts that airlines across Asia, Europe and Africa will continue fleet and route expansion plans.</p>
<p>And so career hungry professionals will find new opportunities in the wake of industry growth. Airlines are taking delivery of a high number of aircraft and will need an influx of skilled recruits to match. A separate report by recruiters AeroProfessional found that 76 per cent of airlines surveyed said expect to increase their pilot numbers by 2017.</p>
<p>Some trends from 2015, such as the need for A320 and B737 aircrew, are expected to continue. As Sam Sprules director at AeroProfessional points out, this group is the single largest number of people demanded by the industry, but other skills could be in short supply as carriers are expected to accelerate their training efforts.<em> “There will be an increased demand for training capacity , which means an urgent need for more instructors”, says Sprules. “This has the potential to become a very serious bottle neck to the industry.”</em></p>
<p>With estimates that a majority of airlines could be recruiting, we look at where the opportunities lie, and ask airlines and recruitment experts for their five top tips on how job seekers should position themselves for success in 2016.</p>
<p><strong>Take your experience to Asia and China</strong></p>
<p>With a rising middle class in many parts of Asia, there is increasing demand for domestic and international travel , says Loveridge at Rishworth Aviation. <em>“Particularly regionally,”</em> she says, <em>"which is reflected in the growth in the airlines in North East Asia. There is therefore a need for experienced pilots to support this growth."</em></p>
<p>Loveridge expects that there will be increased opportunities for qualified pilots on both narrow and wide bodied fleets across Asia. <em>“Asian airlines are significantly increasing fleet numbers. With new aircraft types being delivered this is also providing fleet transition opportunities. Pilots from around the world have been flying in Korea, Indonesia and Vietnam for many years and this continues to grow”</em>, she says. </p>
<p>She also highlights Vietnam Airlines which is adding A350 and B787 aircraft to support its long-haul upgrade plans over the next three to five years.</p>
<p><em>“In addition to these new fleets, the airline is rapidly expanding its A320/321 fleet, with ten A321 aircraft scheduled for delivery in 2016, and again in 2017.”</em> She says that Vietnam Airlines will hold monthly screenings throughout 2016 to support this growth.</p>
<p>Both Loveridge and Sprules expect China to remain significant, with Loveridge pointing out that China offers lucrative expatriate contracts to pilots.</p>
<p><em>“Overall, throughout Asia there will be increased opportunities for qualified pilots on both narrow and wide bodied fleets”</em>, she says.</p>
<p><strong>Think internationally</strong></p>
<p>Many major airlines are expecting to conduct international recruitment drives. For example Emirates, which is said to have one of the largest fleets in the world and in 2015 recruited more than 11,000 new staff across its business, expects to maintain momentum in 2016 by recruiting cabin crew, pilots, ground agents and engineering staff.</p>
<p><em>“We think that 2016 will see the continued expansion of our operation, in both our global network and our fleet of modern aircraft, including the iconic Airbus A380, “ </em>says an Emirates spokesperson. <em>“As our business grows so too will our international recruitment drive.”</em></p>
<p><strong>Apply your skills to wide-body aircraft</strong></p>
<p>At AeroProfessional, Sprules emphasises the impact of the new wide-body aircraft such as the A350 and B787. <em>“As the volume of manufacturer airframe deliveries increases, we expect there to be a strong demand for relevantly skilled and experienced staff to operate and maintain these aircraft”</em>, he says.</p>
<p>Norwegian Long Haul, voted the world’s best low-cost carrier in the 2015 Skytrax Awards will be recruiting for its B787 fleet. <em>“It will need an additional 600 pilots in the next five years due to the massive expansion of their B787 fleet with an additional 30 aircraft deliveries scheduled”</em>, says Captain Torkel Wakk (Retd) Europe regional director at Rishworth Aviation.</p>
<p><strong>Consider low-cost carriers</strong></p>
<p>Growth among low-cost carriers is expected in 2016 says Sprules and this certainly seems to be evidenced at easyJet.</p>
<p><em>“Over the next 12 months we will recruit over 1,100 pilots and crew”</em>, says Carolyn McCall, chief executive of easyJet.</p>
<p>McCall was speaking in October 2015 when she opened The easyJet Gatwick Academy, which will train pilots and crew from bases across Europe.</p>
<p><strong>Display attributes for success</strong></p>
<p>Airlines are showing their commitment to diversity (easyJet for example has launched a new recruitment initiative for female pilots), and they expect recruits to show the same.</p>
<p>With employers such as Emirates now boasting a multi-lingual workforce of 135 nationalities and 55 languages, professionals from across the industry are expected to be broad-minded to other cultures, as well as safety conscious and sticklers for good customer service.</p>
<p><em>“With an increasing demand for pilots there are plenty of opportunities for pilots in growth markets”</em>, says a spokesperson for Rishworth Aviation. <em>“They need to be open to different cultures and experiences and prepared to move to airlines in expansion mode.”</em></p>