L3 Commercial Aviation have announced the launch of their ‘L3 Pilot Pathways Female Scholarship programme’, which will provide 10 scholarships to female candidates applying for its Integrated Airline Transport Pilot Licence (ATPL) training program.
L3 say that during 2019, the programme will award 10 female candidates a £25,000/€29,000 sponsorship towards the cost of their training.
“We are passionate about encouraging more diversity onto the flight deck. It’s a significant issue for the industry and addressing it is crucial not only because it is the right thing to do, but because it will attract a broader range of talent, help to address the pilot shortage and deliver a future generation of well-rounded pilots,” said Robin Glover-Faure, President of Commercial Training Solutions, which is part of L3 Commercial Aviation.
“We’re delighted to launch the L3 Pilot Pathways Female Scholarship, which is part of our commitment to helping build a more inclusive future for the industry.”
Geoff van Klaveren, Vice President of L3 Airline Academy, added: “Becoming a pilot requires a lot of dedication, perseverance and high-quality training, and there are no skills or aspects of the job that favour either gender.
“Yet, the number of female pilots remains stubbornly low, with estimates suggesting that women represent less than six percent of commercial airline pilots worldwide. We believe in improving accessibility so that those with the potential, whatever their background, have the opportunity to fly.”
The L3 Pilot Pathways Female Scholarship is open to women from the UK and Europe with the first three scholarships to be awarded in the first quarter of 2019 and the remaining throughout 2019. The candidates will be evaluated on their performance during the selection process for the ATPL training program and three short questions on why they deserve the scholarship. There will be no additional eligibility criteria to apply.
L3 say that the female scholarship is part of the L3 Pilot Pathways program which is a broader commitment to improving the accessibility of training to aspiring pilots from all backgrounds. Additional scholarships and initiatives from the L3 Pilot Pathways program will be unveiled throughout 2019.