AeroMSc bursary scheme a way for business to meet aerospace skills demand challenge

I’m manager of the AeroMSc bursary scheme on behalf of the Royal Aeronautical Society.

This programme supports students on aerospace MScs to increase the supply of qualified professionals with high level skills who will work in UK aerospace and develop the current workforce in future technologies to help the UK stay ahead of its global competitors.

“Leading businesses and universities working together to create the necessary supply of skills”

The 3-year scheme is jointly funded by Government and 10 major aerospace firms, including NCUB members Airbus, Finmeccanica and Rolls-Royce. It’s an attempt to boost the talent pipeline in our sector and now, as we approach the end of our second year, it seems clear the model works well.

It targets people who can’t otherwise afford postgraduate study, especially those from backgrounds such as physics and maths, and those who work in the SMEs that make up the UK aerospace supply chain. Of course the universities have been key to this success – Cranfield University predominates, but a total of 33 UK universities will have one or more of our bursary students starting MScs in September.

Many of the bursaryholders were at this year’s International Airshow for Futures Day and it was great to attend and meet some of them.

Each July the Airshow brings together industry movers and shakers from across the globe, with over 1,500 companies gathered to share their latest innovations and do business. Paris and Farnborough take turns to host it, so this year we gathered in Farnborough for Futures Day – the part of the Airshow for school and university students to motivate them in their study of STEM subjects.

Bursaryholders were there to both meet their sponsors and potential employers and act as role models, sending a powerful message about careers in aerospace to the members of the new generation also attending.

“It’s a much-needed STEM success story”

The UK economy is on the rise, we are seeing increasing global demand for air travel, technological progress is urgently needed for a sustainable future, and the demands on defence and security remain intense. So, the high demand for aerospace skills will only increase and it’s vital that everyone in the sector does what they can to meet that challenge.

That’s why it’s heartening to see the co-operation and commitment shown by key players in our sector, with leading businesses and universities working together to create the necessary supply of skills through the Aero MSc bursary scheme.

It’s a much-needed STEM success story, and I look forward to a new set of applications later in the year. For further information, please email me or take a look at our website.

Angela Ringguth is Project Manager of the AeroMSc bursary scheme. Please not that the Aero Msc Bursary Scheme has now closed.

NCUB’s Skills Demand research assesses the needs of employers in searching for graduate talent. This includes deepening our understanding of labour market supply and demand beyond a number of graduates in a subject area to vacancies in industry to candidate’s specific qualities and employability skills. NCUB Skills Demand research is undertaken in support of HEFCE work in STEM and strategic subjects.