Iberia seeks to awaken aeronautical vocation at AULA

• For the first time, the Spanish airline will be present at this fair, held at IFEMA Madrid

• Students will learn first-hand about the profession of pilot, cabin crew, aircraft maintenance technician or engineer

Iberia is taking part for the first time in the AULA fair, the international student and education fair, which is being held at IFEMA Madrid from 26 to 30 March.  The airline seeks to get closer to young students and position itself as a benchmark employer brand, encouraging vocation for the aeronautical sector from an early age due to the growing demand for employment in this industry.

At the Iberia stand, located in Hall 5 of IFEMA, secondary school students will be able to learn first-hand about the day-to-day work carried out by pilots, cabin crew members, engineers and aircraft maintenance technicians at an airline, such as Iberia. In addition to having access to detailed information on the requirements for accessing these professions, students will be able to live an immersive experience thanks to the use of Apple Pro Vision glasses, which will allow them to disassemble an aircraft engine piece by piece or experience the sensation of being a pilot or a cabin crew member for a few minutes, trying on their uniforms.

María Bello, Iberia's Director of People and Diversity, says: "With this initiative, we want to get closer to the youngest students and awaken in them a vocation for professions that are perhaps, at first, unknown to them due to a lack of nearby references and attract this future talent to the aeronautical sector.
In this sense, it is key to participate in Aula and thus reach younger ages to give visibility to these professions and position Iberia as a benchmark employer brand in the sector. Our stand will allow them to get to know in a very experiential way -through different activities-, the day-to-day life of our pilots, cabin crew, engineers, or aircraft maintenance technicians, and receive guidance on the necessary requirements to be able to pursue their academic studies. Not forgetting that at our stand we will also have professionals from all these areas to tell them first-hand about their professional career and to answer any questions they may have.

Participation in AULA is one of the initiatives with which Iberia seeks to awaken a vocation for the aeronautical sector at an early age, but it is not the only one:

• Quiero Ser: is an Iberia initiative that forms part of its Diversity and Inclusion Plan, launched in 2017. This programme aims to give visibility to female talent and boost the presence of women in professions with less female representation. The programme is aimed at young people from the last course of secondary school onwards where they learn first-hand about the various aeronautical professions such as pilots, aircraft maintenance technicians and engineers. The programme also includes visits to the CAE flight simulators and a visit to the Iberia maintenance facilities in La Muñoza.

• I Want to be a Pilot: this programme involves 14 Iberia pilots who visit schools to share their professional experience and answer young people's questions about career opportunities in aviation. This programme is designed to provide a close and realistic view of the profession, encouraging students to consider aeronautics as a viable and attractive option for their professional future.

• Professional Training Programme: Since 2018, more than 400 students have carried out internships at Iberia Maintenance, of which nearly 250 have been hired by the airline. Thanks to this programme, students from different educational centres carry out internships of between three and nine months at Iberia's maintenance facilities in La Muñoza.

• Cadet programme: Every year Iberia launches its cadet programme in partnership with the prestigious airline pilot school, FTEJerez (Flight Training Europe), to have the most qualified professionals participating in their training and, at the same time, promote the pilot profession by helping to finance their training. Once they have completed their studies, Iberia's commitment is to facilitate the incorporation of these cadets into the labour market and to start repaying Iberia's contribution to their studies.  

• Iberia Chair in Aeronautical Research: This chair is based at the School of Aeronautical and Space Engineering of the Polytechnic University of Madrid (UPM) and aims to provide support in both the academic and research fields. Iberia also financially supports PhD programmes on composite materials, aerodynamics or heavy maintenance structures.

Iberia, employer brand 

Iberia is constantly working to develop a strong employer brand, with the aim of positioning itself as one of the best options for working in the aeronautical sector. The airline puts a special focus on key groups for its operations, such as pilots, cabin crew, engineers, , aircraft maintenance technicians and data and digital transformation professionals. The goal is to attract diverse and highly skilled talent, especially in key business profiles and areas of high market demand.

Iberia also seeks to promote the company's image as a great place to work, both externally and internally, fostering a sense of belonging and commitment among its employees, encouraging enthusiasm and pride in being part of the airline.