Bucks New University students gain inspiration from BA
Above: (left to right) Student Mark Greenwood, Eleanor Levitt and Andrew Perkins of British Airways; James Edmunds of Bucks New University; and student Sam Spendla.
Perkins, a British Airways Senior First Officer on the airline’s 777 aircraft fleet, was joined by Graduate Engineer Eleanor Levitt for the presentation and question-and-answer session at the University, in High Wycombe.
He spoke about the possibility for students to join The Air League, which promotes aviation to young people, and outlined British Airways initiatives including the Future Pilot Programme - its flagship sponsored pilot training scheme designed to select and train aspiring pilots.
Perkins outlined the qualifications required to enter the profession, the experience necessary to progress a career, and the various aspects, such as customer service and safety, that contribute to the airline’s success.
He also discussed British Airways’ Beyond the Flight Deck programme, which aims to improve the passenger experience through direct contact with pilots, and answered questions from students afterwards.
The Senior First Officer said: “The students were enthusiastic, asked plenty of questions, and were highly motivated and keen to explore the opportunities at the airline.
“They demonstrated a good understanding of the airline industry, that safety is always our number one priority and that we are always aiming to improve customer experience levels.
“It was good that there was interaction from them and an understanding of the airline industry. One of the reasons I joined the Pilot Ambassador Programme at British Airways was because it gives me the opportunity to give something back.
“It is great to be able to speak to the new generation of travel and aviation professionals and help them achieve their career ambitions.”
Eleanor Levitt said: “It was fantastic to see so many engaged students. It’s great to speak to people with a genuine interest as we have so many different opportunities at the airline’s engineering bases across the UK for male and female applicants.”
Mark Greenwood, a first-year Air Transport with Commercial Pilot Training student, said he had been particularly inspired by finding out more about The Future Pilot Programme.
He said: “The talk was very informative, and really, who doesn’t want to work for British Airways, so they were the perfect company to invite in. Ultimately, I would aim to be a commercial pilot with British Airways so I gained a lot from the talk.”
Eleanor Levitt discussed the wide range of career and graduate opportunities available at British Airways Engineering, including cabin design, engine management, and working with the carrier’s new and technologically advanced fleet of A380s and 787s.
James Edmunds, Head of Academic Department for Travel and Aviation at Bucks New University, said: “We were delighted to welcome Andrew Perkins and Eleanor Levitt to Bucks as it illustrated the high level of support our Aviation and Tourism programmes generate from the industry they serve.
“The development of links with employers such as British Airways is crucial to Bucks students as it enables them to aspire to the great things we know they are capable of.”
