Government Awards £750,000 to Support Young People into Aviation Careers

Young people across the UK are set to get a major lift into aviation careers as the Government confirms £750,000 to support projects inspiring the next generation. Announced today, 12th December 2025, the funding will help widen access to aviation roles, spark interest in technical pathways and support the sector’s future workforce.

One of the standout beneficiaries is Cornwall, where TEC Women will receive nearly £100,000 to run STEM career festivals designed to encourage more girls to explore aviation and aerospace.

Cornwall Set to Benefit

TEC Women will use £95,848 to deliver festivals for girls aged 7 to 12, along with work experience programmes. The activity in Cornwall forms part of the Reach for the Sky Challenge Fund, which supports projects that help young people from diverse backgrounds enter the aviation sector.

Caitlin Gould, TEC Women CIC and TEC Girls Director, said:
“At TEC Women CIC we are thrilled that our TECgirls Reach for the Sky Festival and Take Flight Education Programme has been funded to help more girls explore STEM roles in aviation and aerospace. Our Take Flight Festival has been building year on year, with over 500 girls and 1,000 people attending last year, and our education outreach has provided practical hands-on-learning for over 200 girls across Cornwall, including a work experience week.

“In 2026 we plan to continue to grow this programme, working with more industry partners and reaching new audiences across rural and coastal locations. Without support from the Challenge Fund, ambitious events like our festival would not be possible.“

Seadream Education CIC will also receive £5,450 to introduce primary school children to the concept of flight through models and wind tunnels, with activity planned for Devon, Cornwall and Somerset.

What the National Funding Covers

Projects supported under this year’s Reach for the Sky Challenge Fund range from coding workshops to aviation careers roadshows, virtual simulators and hands-on engineering challenges.

Aviation, Maritime and Decarbonisation Minister Keir Mather said:
“The UK has a proud history in aviation which we are determined to continue by inspiring more young people to see the sector as a place where they can build their careers.
“Reach for the Sky plays a vital role in that mission, helping to break down barriers to opportunity and encouraging the next generation to aim high.
“Alongside securing the future of the aviation industry, this is about ensuring young people from all backgrounds can see and learn about the varied and often highly skilled jobs and future opportunities that will deliver growth across the country.”

Other Projects Receiving Support

A wide range of organisations across the UK will share the remaining funding, including:

• ELATT: £55,914 for workshops, employer visits and clubs to show young people in East London the possibilities of STEM careers.

• The Mason Foundation: £30,000 for a 12 month pathway of workshops for neurodivergent people aged 13 to 25 in Manchester.

• Aerobility: £60,589 for virtual simulators, online career sessions, industry visits and introductory flights, including in Cornwall.

• Lightyear Foundation: £28,000 for inclusive workshops and industry visits nationally.

• Jon Egging Trust: £40,122 for an aviation and aerospace careers roadshow visiting Cornwall and other regions.

• Flight Crowd: £54,040 for a virtual programme with an immersive experience at Norwich Airport.

• Get With The Program: £54,020 for its Moon Landing Coding Adventure for key stage 2 students.

• Brighter Futures Social Investment CIC: £46,000 for employability programmes in Kent and London.

• Cranfield University: £32,376 for careers talks and facility visits for students eligible for free school meals.

• Springpod: £69,875 for virtual aviation work experience aimed at underrepresented students.

• Big Ideas: £38,336 for digital workshops and enrichment activities to introduce aviation careers.

• Martian Supersonic Jets: £45,000 for a year long university competition to design, build and fly a solar aircraft.

• Bright Futures UK: £11,789 for virtual reality aviation workshops for children in hospital.

• Fantasy Wings: £79,860 for careers workshops, simulator sessions and networking for young women and ethnic minority groups in Birmingham, Manchester and London.

Fantasy Wings CEO Jackson Smith said:
“We at Fantasy Wings are delighted to receive this funding from the Reach for the Sky Challenge, a fantastic initiative dedicated to powering the next generation into aviation.”
“As Europe’s largest diversity-focused aviation programme, we’ve seen firsthand how access and opportunity change lives. With over 5,000 graduates and 500 flying scholarships awarded in the last five years, this new support will allow us to expand our reach, enhance our programmes, and create even more pathways for young people across the UK to explore and build careers in aviation.”

Tara Connelly, Programmes Manager at Bright Futures UK, said:
“We’re incredibly grateful to receive this funding. It will make a huge difference to the young people we support in hospital and help us provide tailored aviation outreach to a demographic that has previously been excluded.”

Backing the Sector’s Future

The funding supports the Government’s aim to grow the aviation workforce following recent approvals for expansion at Gatwick and Luton and plans for a third runway at Heathrow.

Alongside the Reach for the Sky programme, the Government is investing £63 million to speed up construction of new sustainable aviation fuel plants and introducing a Sustainable Aviation Fuel Bill to secure pricing for UK producers.

Today’s announcement follows the launch of applications for the next cohort of Aviation Ambassadors, who help raise the profile of aviation careers.