As TUI launches its Multi-Crew Pilot License (MPL) Cadet programme in the UK, TUI pilot Amy Bannister is calling on more females to join the aviation industry.
Amy – who grew up around the aviation industry and has “wanted to fly for as long as [she] can remember” – has been a pilot for more than eight years and has since taken on a leadership role with TUI Airlines. As a Theoretical Knowledge Instructor training both pilots and crew, Amy is now encouraging more women to “embrace the opportunity to build a diverse and exciting career”.
“Every day is different and it’s such a rewarding career”, notes Amy, adding that “being a pilot challenges you every day, while you get to meet new people – and have one of the best office views in the world!”
Although women currently account for only five per cent of pilots, Amy thinks the tide seems to be changing; observing that “it’s not unusual to have an all-female crew”.
“More and more people are joining the industry, as it’s such a fantastic job to have – industry wide we are treated as equals, and I am proud to work for a company that focuses on my role not my gender”, she concludes.
Alongside its Next Generation project – which sees pilots engage with schools to “encourage more females to consider a career as a pilot” – TUI has recently launched a MPL Cadet programme to train pilots over an 18-month period. As “one of a kind”, this is the only such scheme in the UK offering 30 students a year the chance to train without any upfront cost.
