Ryanair opens £5m Prestwick training academy
November 3, 2024
Ryanair has opened a new engineering training academy at Prestwick Airport.
The £5 million centre will bring 500 highly skilled jobs to the area, including roles for licensed engineers, mechanics, and support staff.
The academy will feature classrooms, workshops and a dedicated training aircraft on-site to equip trainees with hands-on experience, preparing them to support the maintenance and expansion of Ryanair’s fleet, which is set to reach 800 aircraft by 2034.
Ryanair’s summer season this year has been robust, with high passenger demand across popular European routes, thanks to the ongoing recovery in travel.
However, the airline industry at large is grappling with a significant pilot shortage in some regions, which poses a challenge to meeting the growing demand.
This shortage has led to heightened competition for experienced pilots and engineers and is driving airlines to expand their own training programmes to meet operational needs in the coming years.
CEO of Ryanair, Eddie Wilson, said: “As the number 1 airline in Europe, we are delighted to announce an investment of £5 million in a Training Academy at Prestwick Airport creating 500 new engineer and mechanic positions at Prestwick.
“The upgrade includes new classrooms, workshops, and training facilities, including a training aircraft on site and we look forward to investing in Ayrshire with state-of-the-art training facilities to support our 6 bay Heavy Maintenance Facility.”
