British Airways is at it again! The airlines’ employees are sharing their knowledge and skills to benefit students local to the airline’s Heathrow headquarters. One hundred school pupils visited the airline’s Community Learning Centre in Harmondsworth this week to take part in a new education programme – Work Readiness. The initiative, launched during Responsible Business Week, aims to develop employability skills and close the gap between school and the work-place. The students took park in a variety of hands-on workshops, including interview preparation and CV writing. Scores of British Airways’ volunteers – from pilots to project managers - joined the participants in a ‘speed networking’ event which was designed to allow participants to explore the many job opportunities available at the airline, as well as develop their interpersonal skills. Savannah Blake, British Airways customer service executive who helped organise the programme, said: “The Work Readiness event was a great success. The students have told us that they found the day really valuable and that they now feel better prepared for their future in a work environment.

The speed networking session was the most popular, with our participants gaining an insight into the diverse roles that contribute to the running of an airline. We hope that we can open our doors to many more students in the future, as well as offering out-reach events at schools and colleges.” Deborah Pirenen, head of travel and tourism at Strode’s College, Egham, said: “The launch of the Work Readiness programme was superbly tailored to meet the needs of all schools and colleges that attended. British Airways’ approach to the day was highly innovative and interactive as it no doubt took a great deal of careful planning and organisation.” British Airways, the UK’s number one Superbrand, has many and varied career opportunities. From future pilots to aircraft technicians, there are lots of possibilities to explore.

The airline’s apprenticeship and graduate schemes are highly regarded and more than a thousand new members of cabin crew will be recruited this year. Further information can be found at www.ba.com/careers.