More than 60 percent of Oliver Wyman survey respondents cite the shortage of qualified pilots as a concern, and with good reason: Boeing estimates that 645,000 new commercial aviation pilots will be needed by 2038. Although impacts related to COVID-19 potentially could alter the pace of demand.
Hiring more women — a large and mostly untapped potential talent pool — could help ease the pilot shortage and enable airlines to meet an increasing societal mandate as well. Currently, women account for only 5.1 percent of global commercial pilots, according to the International Society of Women Airline Pilots (ISWAP). Despite the industry’s gender-blind pay and seniority-based advancement, 84 percent of survey respondents report finding it moderately to extremely challenging to recruit and retain female pilots.
There are many reasons why: Some are common to male-dominated industries, such as a “boys’ club” reputation and a lack of female mentors. Other challenges are specific to Flight Operations, such as developing a more women-centered recruiting pipeline and overcoming perceived shortcomings of the pilot lifestyle. As an example of the latter, India’s airlines, which have a 12.4 percent share of female pilots overall, provide secure location travel, daycare, and non-flying maternity work options.
From the survey and one-on-one interviews with female Flight Operations leaders, two themes emerged on where airlines specifically could be doing more to address the current lack of women in the pilot pipeline: in engaging women much earlier and increasing mentorship.
“Why is your company experiencing challenges in recruiting or retaining women as pilots?”
- Perceived pilot lifestyle
- Reputation as a male-dominated industry
- Lack of women role models
- Airline Culture
Answers solicited only from survey respondents who had indicated on a prior question that it was moderately, very, or extremely challenging to recruit and retain women as pilots.
To have female pilots to recruit, airlines must actively engage in developing women’s interest and awareness of piloting as a career choice and in supporting women who embark on this path. Airlines need both a perspective and a program: What does it take to become a pilot? What benefits can piloting offer to women, compared to other careers? What support is available to counter the time and expense of flight school?
Similar to other gender-dominated industries, such as technology, this engagement must begin early, before stereotypes are fully formed. Many airlines report focusing on engaging potential pilots early, showcasing their own female pilots, and conducting campaigns to improve career perceptions. JetBlue, United Airlines, and EasyJet, for example, conduct school visits and events aimed at getting girls interested in aviation.
Airlines must address the most pressing concerns of female pilots once they enter the workforce. With few women in senior leadership positions, there aren’t many role models for newer female pilots. Yet both research studies and leading airline experience have shown how vital mentorship can be.
One female leader commented that “being a mentor should be a more formal part of our job description and performance review.” In some cases, this could be an organizational blind spot, as nearly all the women interviewed, cited a lack of female role models as a key recruitment and retention challenges.
Commitment, however, can bring results: 10 of India’s 12 airlines, as well as selected airlines in Canada, Australia, Iceland, and South Africa, now have double-digit shares of female pilots, according to ISWAP. Other airlines have set clear goals: This year, EasyJet expects 20 percent of new entrant pilots to be women, while Qantas wants women to make up 40 percent of pilots by 2028.
Excerpt from a study - Read more:
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Books by Doris Daily:
TO LIVE IS TO FLY:
Memoirs of an Executive Pilot
https://www.amazon.de/dp/1988664349
https://books2read.com/u/mKYpGd
https://www.thalia.de/shop/home/suggestartikel/ID142447093.html
TRAUMBERUF PILOT?
Piloten Ausbildung, Jobsuche und Berufsalltag
(in deutscher Sprache - print & ebook)
https://www.amazon.de/dp/1988664330
https://books2read.com/u/4DoxPr
https://www.thalia.de/shop/home/artikeldetails/ID81994834.html
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