easyJet, Europe’s leading airline, has celebrated 15 of its pilots graduating with the UK’s only airline-supported aviation degree - the BSc (Hons) Professional Aviation Pilot Practice. This unique degree course, designed specifically for pilots, was launched in 2013 in a partnership between easyJet, Middlesex University and L3 Commercial Training Solutions and Middlesex University London.

Among the graduates – Regan Hawthorn, Luke Elsworth, Tom Slingsby, Tom Walker, Sam Jarman, Oliver Walton, Isabel Thompson, Dan Delaney, Alistair Hatcher, Sam Williams, Adam Hanley, Dilpeche Ramgi, Ryan Clyde, Jamie Smart and Joe Millard  – are very first on easyJet’s cadet pilot training programme to be awarded the degree and are among only 23 commercial pilots in the UK to have graduated from the programme.

The first two years of the course are completed with L3’s Airline Academy, while training on an airline pilot career programme alongside practice based university work. Study continues beyond their initial airline pilot training once they join easyJet, flying as a co-pilot while completing their third and final year of the degree, allowing them to learn while they earn.

Training to become a pilot while completing the degree can also provide aspiring pilots access to student loans to help finance their studies.

Isabel Thompson, co-pilot for easyJet and among those graduating, said:

"I wanted to do a degree and I wanted to learn to fly. My peers on the course decided on flying much earlier than me, from childhood, but for me I was around 15 or 16 taking a flight and saw the captain was female.  I was invited to the cockpit and she really encouraged me to follow my dream and that’s what I’ve done."

David Morgan, Director of Flight Operations at easyJet said:

“At easyJet we are committed to developing qualified pilots who know that when they join us they have access to the best knowledge and practice, and a clear career path.

“We are delighted to work in partnership with L3 and Middlesex University to offer this degree course, and we look forward to seeing today’s easyJet graduates develop and grow with us.”

 

Professor Tim Blackman, Vice-Chancellor at Middlesex University London said:

“I’m very proud of our easyJet pilots whose graduation is the result of a lot of personal effort and commitment to the aviation industry which needs graduates of this calibre to meet ever increasing skills needs.

“This was possible thanks to our excellent working relationship with easyJet and L3, organisations that, like Middlesex, are responding to the increasing need to combine work with practice-based learning and to diversify their workforce. I have no doubt these graduates will have fulfilling futures with easyJet.”

Robin Glover-Faure, President, L3 Commercial Training Solutions said:

We’re very proud today to congratulate the second group of pilots to graduate with this degree. This is a hugely exciting opportunity for aspiring pilots as it combines the high-quality practical training from L3, academic expertise from Middlesex University, and significant career development opportunities from easyJet. I wish all of today’s graduates the best of luck in their rewarding flying career.”

Anyone wishing to apply to the Generation easyJet Pilot Training Programme and integrate a degree into their training can do so via L3AirlineAcademy.com/easyJet

ENDS

For further information please contact the easyJet press office on 01582 525252 or visit www.easyJet.com

For more information about Middlesex University please contact Rebecca Griffin, Middlesex University London, 020 8411 5797, r.griffin@mdx.ac.uk.

For more information about L3 Commercial Training Solutions please contact Richard Wolfe, richard.wolfe@L3T.com or 01293 491520

Notes to editors:

The BSc (Hons) degree in Professional Aviation Pilot Practice is awarded by Middlesex University and is the only provider in the world to offer this degree. The practice-based course does not require pilots to attend a campus and enables them to gain professional qualifications (ATPL or MP Licence), and a degree  within three years.

The easyJet graduates completed the first two years of the course at L3’s Airline Academy and a final year flying as a co-pilot, while at the same time doing practice-based university study and earning while they learned. The programme aims to enable a more diverse mix of people to join easyJet than would otherwise be possible through other pilot qualification routes.

easyJet

easyJet is Europe’s leading airline offering a unique and winning combination of the best route network connecting Europe's primary airports, with great value fares and friendly service.

easyJet flies on more of Europe’s most popular routes than any other airline. easyJet carries over 82 million passengers annually, of which more than 13 million are travelling on business. easyJet flies 298 aircraft on more than 980 routes to 156 airports across 33 countries. More than 300 million Europeans live within one hour's drive of an easyJet airport.

easyJet aims to be a good corporate citizen, employing people on local contracts in eight countries across Europe in full compliance with national laws and recognising their trade unions. The airline supports a number of local charities and also has a corporate partnership with UNICEF which has raised over £10m for the most vulnerable children since it was established in 2012.

The airline takes sustainability seriously. easyJet invests in the latest technology, operates efficiently and fills most of its seats which means that an easyJet passenger's carbon footprint is 22% less than a passenger on a traditional airline, flying the same aircraft on the same route.

Innovation is in easyJet’s DNA – from our launch over 20 years ago when we changed the way people fly to the present day where we lead the industry in digital, web, engineering and operational innovations to make travel more easy and affordable for our passengers.