The Aviation Academy Celebrates Milestone

In a special year for Craven College as we celebrate our 200^th anniversary, The Aviation Academy are marking their own milestone as they celebrate 20 incredible years of inspiring future aviation professionals!

It was particularly special to be able to capture such a memorable photograph to mark this occasion inside the Multiflight hangar; and we are really grateful to them for this opportunity and for hosting us in their fantastic facilities over the past two decades.

Nikki Chestnutt, Head of Aviation and Travel said, “We are very proud of the Aviation Academy and its achievements over 20 years. From one small classroom and an idea to provide a skilled workforce for Leeds Bradford International Airport, to an accomplished academy with major partnerships.

“We have many alumni working in the sector, so our students have been the real success story. It is amazing to still be in touch with so many who continue to inspire the younger generation with their experiences and projects such as the Ambassador scheme. I am thrilled to be part of the Aviation Academy.”

We were delighted to celebrate our special occasion with our stakeholders and students, and welcomed Connor Ivison, Senior Airport Duty Manager at Leeds Bradford Airport and Cerys Glynn, Emerging Talent & Careers Administrator at Jet2.com to celebrate this occasion. Both industry guests joined us not only to mark the occasion but also to launch our brand-new Digital Badge initiative!

Vicky Carolan, Lecturer in Aviation Operations and Management said “We have been working hard to set the Jet2 values of Be Present, Create Memories, Work as One Team, and Take Responsibilities in place for the Jet 2 Values in Students Digital Badge; values our learners know well as they are on our College walls! The Leeds Bradford Airport Ambassadors Digital Badge criteria were created with input from myself, Amanda Carr – Careers Manager at Craven College, and Connor Ivison.

“These Digital Badges are micro credentials, earned when students have met all the criteria. They can be added to digital and paper CVs to show the skills and qualities demonstrated by the learner.”

Amanda Carr, Careers Manager added, “Driven by the increasing need for employers to be able to quickly identify specific skills gaps in a rapidly changing job market, digital badges are credentials to showcase achievements and knowledge. With national standards, quality assurance, and criteria, they make skills more visible, portable, and therefore of value.

“This is especially important in the Aviation Industry, to be part of this shift in digitalization. With the Government’s Digital Badging Commission recommending integration into the post-16 education and training, Craven College are proud to be part of digital credentialing system that works for learners and employers to bridge that gap, collaborating with Jet2 and Leeds Bradford Airport, the Aviation Academy can enable talent to be recognised.”

We’d love to hear from our former students with your stories and see where your careers and journeys have taken you so we can create a memory wall and feature your experiences to help shape the aviation careers of the future!