At Skills Builder Partnership, we believe that for young people to thrive, they need more than just technical knowledge - they need the essential skills to navigate a rapidly changing world. Our partnership with London Luton Airport (LLA) is a key example of how an employer can strategically embed these skills into their outreach to create a lasting impact on their community and their own future talent pipeline.
Since its launch in January 2024, LLA’s flagship "Classroom to Careers" programme has provided a holistic approach, ensuring local students have multiple opportunities to build essential skills and learn about the diverse career pathways available within the context of aviation, from primary school through to college.
A strategic roadmap for impact
What sets LLA apart is its strategic integration of outreach. This isn't just a series of one-off events; it is a roadmap co-owned by their Sustainability and HR teams, and delivered with the support of volunteers across the airport. By linking outreach directly to its HR strategy, LLA addresses early talent acquisition and local skills needs simultaneously.
This commitment is reflected in LLA’s Bronze level Excellence Mark, with ambitious three-year plans already in motion to progress further with Skills Builder.
The LLA Launchpad: Real-world success
A standout initiative this year was the brand-new LLA Launchpad for KS5 students, which took place during National Careers Week. This intensive, week-long programme was delivered in partnership with The Launch Group, and immersed 17 local learners into the world of aviation. The results speak for themselves:
- Career clarity: High clarity regarding aviation careers jumped from just 12.5% to 68.7% by the end of the programme.
- Aspiration: 75.1% of learners are now considering a career in aviation, with many specifically looking at LLA apprenticeships and customer service roles.
- Confidence: A staggering 93.8% of participants reported increased confidence in applying essential skills in a workplace setting.
Student voices
The impact is summed up by the participants themselves, with 100% of learners stating they would recommend the programme, valuing in particular:
“Learning the skills and gaining an opportunity to help me understand more of the industry.”
“Getting to talk to the professionals who have a lot of career experience in the aviation industry and them giving good advice.”
“I loved going through the airfield and looking at planes.”
“I think the group work as it incorporated all of the skills and I definitely improved in them all.”
Measuring what matters: The data
LLA Launchpad utilised the Skills Builder Universal Framework to measure growth across the essential skills steps, resulting in the highest Skills Builder Impact Level accreditation: Level 4 - progressing in essential skills. The cohort saw an average increase across all areas, with the most significant growth in:
- Speaking (using facts): Increased by 0.6 points.
- Adapting (managing wellbeing): Increased by 0.6 points.
The data shows the effectiveness of a targeted approach to building skill steps. In just five days, LLA Launchpad students achieved progress comparable to the average annual growth (0.7 steps) of learners aged 17–18 in a year-long Skills Builder Accelerator programme.
By the end of the week, students felt most confident in Problem Solving, specifically in creating and analysing options to overcome operational constraints. This data-led approach allows LLA to prove the value of its investment while ensuring students leave with tangible, transferable skills for the next stage of their career journey.
A holistic reach: From KS3 to SEND settings
LLA’s impact extends across all secondary key stages through Impact Level accredited programmes:
- KS3 "Essential Skills in Aviation": Classroom resources that bring curriculum learning to life through industry context.
- KS4 "Skills for the Future" workshops: Focused sessions that provide deeper exposure to aviation careers and workplace expectations, hosted at LLA.
- Inclusion workshops: Specially designed sessions for SEND settings, ensuring that aviation careers are accessible to all young people in the local area.
Looking ahead
The partnership continues to flourish. Beyond its own programmes, LLA is supporting three local schools on the Skills Builder Accelerator for the 2025-26 academic year. We were also honoured to join the judging panel for the "Reach for the Sky" competition, funded by a £90,000 grant from the Department for Transport (DfT) and Civil Aviation Authority’s (CAA) Reach for the Sky Challenge Fund.
LLA is proving that when an employer leads with a clear strategy and a commitment to essential skills, they don't just "do outreach" - they build a future.
Interested in how your organisation can build a strategic outreach programme?
