British Airways announces 270 new roles in graduate and apprenticeship programs to support their £7bn transformation plan, enhancing digital customer experiences and operational efficiency.
British Airways has opened applications for 270 graduate and apprenticeship positions ranging from customer service to aircraft maintenance and digital, which is new for 2024.
Successful applicants in the new Digital Graduate scheme will support British Airways’ £7bn transformation plan and will be part of the team leading on modernising and upgrading the business’s IT infrastructure to improve the customer digital experience.
Graduates can choose from one of nine two-year schemes including Engineering, Finance, and Commercial Business. Apprentices can apply to one of 11 schemes including Business Professional and Ground Operations with three positions available in locations across the UK – Customer Service Advisor in Manchester, and Aircraft Maintenance at British Airways’ hangar facilities in Glasgow and Cardiff.
Applications for graduate and apprentice placements have increased year on year following the pandemic. In 2023, British Airways received over 20,000 applications – an increase of almost 10,000 from 2022. Graduate applications increased by 86 per cent and apprenticeship applications increased by 61 per cent.
Ammar, an Engineering Graduate at British Airways, said: “Being a British Airways Graduate is a fantastic way to see your career soar to new heights. I’ve had the opportunity to learn from experienced colleagues and have hands-on experiences that have strengthened my skills and grown my confidence.”
Rachel Iley, Director of Global Learning Academy at British Airways, said: “Applying to our award-winning schemes is a great place to start your career take off and this year we expect a record number of applications. We know that our graduates and apprentices bring fresh perspectives, add real value and are an integral part of our business. We can’t wait to see what this year’s cohort achieves at British Airways.”
Throughout 2024, British Airways’ Strategic Resourcing Team, which is responsible for sourcing new talent through apprenticeships and graduate schemes, attended almost 350 career and job fair events and met approximately 70,000 young people to inspire them to consider a career in aviation.
Applicants and candidates interested in a career in aviation can benefit from registering on ‘Speedbird-Z’, British Airways’ free online careers platform to receive direct contact with experienced British Airways professionals from across the business. Other benefits include access to bespoke learning modules, industry insight and skills to build confidence in employability. Since launching Speedbird-Z in 2019, the platform has welcomed over 40,000 active users to kick-start their career.
Speedbird Pilot Academy cadet programme opens for new applications
The airline is also opening the application window for the second year of its fully funded Speedbird Pilot Academy cadet scheme on Tuesday April 16, 2024. This follows an unprecedented response to its first year intake which saw more than 20,000 applications for just 100 places.
The Speedbird Pilot Academy initiative, part of the airline’s £7 billion investment across the business, is aimed at levelling the playing field and making a career as a commercial airline pilot a realistic option for all, by removing the previously prohibitive cost barrier of individuals having to pay for their training themselves.
British Airways’ Director of Flight Operations Simon Cheadle, said: “We’re incredibly proud to be able to open the door to a flying career to more people through this programme.
“We know from the overwhelming response and high standard of applications we had in the first year of Speedbird Pilot Academy, that there are a lot of talented people who just need a little bit of help to achieve their dream of becoming a commercial airline pilot – and we are pleased to give them that opportunity.
“We want to continue to attract the very best flying talent and our investment in this programme will help to ensure our future generation of pilots for years to come.”
Candidates will be able to apply for up to 100 places on the programme – that will see the approximate £100,000 cost of their training covered entirely by the airline – through the British Airways careers site from April 16, 2024.
Vicky is the co-founder of TravelDailyNews Media Network where she is the Editor-in Chief. She is also responsible for the daily operation and the financial policy. She holds a Bachelor's degree in Tourism Business Administration from the Technical University of Athens and a Master in Business Administration (MBA) from the University of Wales.
She has many years of both academic and industrial experience within the travel industry. She has written/edited numerous articles in various tourism magazines.
