Despite the criticisms that it rains on the plane, accused of participating in global warming, air traffic continues to progress in the world. Eight billion passengers are expected in 2040 against 4.5 in 2019. In addition, the world fleet of airplanes must Double in 20 years, according to Airbus forecasts.
Which generates significant labor needs in the sector, in many trades both on the air side (passenger transport) that aeronautics (construction). These needs are not new and face the real chronic recruitment difficulties, difficulties analyzed in a study by the Pegasus chair.
The first observation is that we must address the problem at the root, that of attractiveness. Because only 24% of 15-24 year olds questioned “the plan to work or study in the air transport sector. This figure is even lower for aeronautical construction with only 14% of young people.”
Small known exchanges
Why this lack of interest? The study highlights great ignorance of the sector. “Only 51% of young people know companies in the air sector with strong disparities between companies and service companies (less known). This percentage falls to 28% for aeronautical companies,” Lee.
Worse, only half of young people (49%) declare that they have already heard of these sectors during their education. “It is easy to conclude that they suffer from lack of visibility,” he judges the study.
This ignorance is also illustrated in the trades that are not only the line pilot and the navigation personnel. Only 49% of young people say they know the industrial professions of aeronautics: logistics, maintenance, technicians, welders, mechanics, commercial, engineers …
A sector not aligned with environmental values of 26% of young people
Another important obstacle, a certain self -censorship of young people who would be interested in the sector.
“Companies in air and aeronautical construction sectors suffer from an elitist image that reduces their appeal. Only 21% of young people find that they are easily accessible.”
“Most of them believe that they have not followed the ‘good studies’ to integrate this industry. 71% have the impression that their current studies would not allow them to work in these sectors and 55% think they are reserved for students who have had a scientific trip. 52% consider that companies in the air and the aeronautical sectors are reserved for an elite,” the authors underline.
The working conditions inherent in the aeronautical and air transport professions, such as unconventional schedules, distant and poorly served workplaces, stress … They also constitute an important barrier for 51% of the interviewees.
Finally, 26% of the questioned young people believe that aerial professions are not aligned with their social or environmental values, a figure far from being anecdotal and that it illustrates a certain distrust of a sector stigmatized by their CO2 emissions.
In short, there is work to be done for the sector. The report recommends several measures, in particular: communicate more to young people in the trades and opportunities offered by these sectors, to generalize the immersion devices of the university to arouse vocations, they include prescribers in communication strategies to activate the reliefs of influence as close as possible for young people, establish scholarships …
The lowest increase in salaries
The fact is that the sector did not wait for this report to display attractive measures. The FNAM (National Federation of Aeronautics and its offices) has been alarmed for several years of these recruitment problems.
He has been promoting employers, for several years, to increase the lowest wages, improve working conditions, especially in airports and develop learning. This resulted in the signature of nine branch agreements, including several salary agreements to take into account the revaluation of the minimum wage.
ADP (Paris Airports) launched a platform Online recruitment.
Companies and employment: the sector in some figures
In 2024, there were 754 companies in the air branch (excluding aeronautical construction). 80% of them work more than 250 employees, for a total of 86,567 employees (in 2023). 60% are men.
55,000 work in passenger air transport, 14,000 in auxiliary air transport services and 4,700 in cargo transport.
What are the operations really in tension?
Customer relationship: Customer relationship agents, sales directors, sales assistants.
Support: Land Operations Agents, Systems and Network Administrators, Billing Manager.
Operating: Pilots, navigation personnel, traffic agents, scale supervisors, referents of the fire team.
Logistics: Supply chain managers, FRET store agents, values managers.
Maintenance: Mechanics, electrical maintenance technicians and airplanes.
Construction, engines: Engineers, mechanics, welders, electricians, collectors, boilers, machine operators, line operators, quality controllers, assembly, finishing and aeronautical assembly workers.
(Source: FNAM, Activity Report 2024)
Source: BFM TV
