Young people flying high at London Luton Airport with Prince’s Trust
Published: 12 January 2012
Five unemployed young people aged 18 –25 from Bedfordshire have successfully landed jobs after completing a Prince’s Trust “Get Into Airports” programme held at London Luton Airport.
The programme started with two weeks intensive training in First Aid, CV coaching, interview and presentation skills. A further two weeks were spent completing work placements, both in the Airport Company and with its business partners, such as First Capital Connect, Costa Coffee and DHL. Last year more than three in four young people helped by The Prince’s Trust moved into work, training or education.
At a presentation to mark the end of the programme, the group shared its experiences in front of an audience of more than 60 people including Cllr Don Worlding, Mayor of Luton, Graham Ball Regional Director of The Prince’s Trust and Glyn Jones, Managing Director of London Luton Airport.
Before Kieran Underwood, 20, got involved with The Prince’s Trust, he was unemployed and looking for an opportunity to develop a career in a practical field. During one of his visits to the JobCentre Kieran heard about The Prince’s Trust “Get into Airports” course and jumped at the opportunity to take part in the programme. He said: ‘The programme has been amazing, the Trust was really supportive and I felt really lucky to get specialist training from companies such as DHL and the Airport Fire Service. I did my work placement with the Airport Cargo Centre and Airfield Operations Team. It was great to work in one of the behind the scenes roles and I’m proud that I was trusted with a role which came with responsibility for helping to keep the aerodrome safe. I’ve now been offered a job at the Airport which I’m thrilled about as there is so much opportunity here it’s the first step to my new career. The course changed my life and I can’t thank the Prince’s Trust enough for helping me get this far. Without them I’d probably still be unemployed”.
Sian Pearce, Community Relations Executive, London Luton Airport, said: “It has been a pleasure to facilitate this training with youth charity The Prince’s Trust. To see so many young people develop their skills and start to realise their own potential within just four weeks was incredible. Thanks must also go to APCOA, Europcar, Costa, First Capital Connect, Aelia and DHL for their help in delivering the programme”.
The other young people on the programme will now receive six months' mentoring by The Prince’s Trust to help them find work.
Our photo shows:
L - R standing: Claire Merrick - Prince's Trust, Priya Bangey, Erim Haider,Rubel Ahmed, Ben Merritt, Ashley-Louise Sinclair, Tony East, Laura-Jane Latto, Kieran Underwood, Samid Hussain, Paul Longshaw - Prince's Trust
Front: Darshna Nathu, James Lynam
For more information, or if you would like to be kept updated of their progress please contact:
London Luton Airport Press Office – press.office@ltn.aero
Notes to Editors
London Luton Airport
London Luton Airport is one of the UK’s largest airports and carried almost 9 million passengers in 2010. The Airport employs over 500 staff, is a key economic driver for the region and a major base for ‘low cost’ or ‘no frills’ air travel.
easyJet, Wizz Air, Ryanair, Monarch, Thomson, Aer Arann, EL AL, Blue Air and Flybe operate from the airport, departing to over 90 destinations including services to Europe, Africa, and Asia, with onward connections to Mumbai, Hong Kong, Johannesburg, Beijing and Bangkok via Tel Aviv.
The Airport is operated and developed by a consortium of which Abertis Infraestructuras, a leading European infrastructure provider, is a 90 per cent majority shareholder and Aena Internacional, the international business arm of Aena - the Spanish national airport and air traffic control organisation, is a 10 per cent shareholder.
Prince’s Trust
Youth charity The Prince's Trust helps change young lives. It gives practical and financial support, developing key workplace skills such as confidence and motivation. It works with 13-to-30-year-olds who have struggled at school, have been in care, are long-term unemployed or have been in trouble with the law. The Prince of Wales’s charity has helped more than 650,000 young people since 1976 and supports 100 more each day. Last year, more than three in four young people supported by The Trust moved into work, education or training. In April 2011, Fairbridge became part of The Prince’s Trust. The new united organisation will help 50,000 young people this year. Last year The Prince’s Trust helped more than 4,000 disadvantaged young people in the East Midlands.