London Luton Airport’s (LLA) flagship Classroom to Careers programme has already passed the halfway mark in its mission to reach 2,000 local students and young people over three years.
The programme, led by LLA’s community team in partnership with airport volunteers and Luton Council’s Children, Families and Education team, provides skills development workshops and educational opportunities to schools and community groups across the area.
In 2025, over 30 LLA volunteers helped deliver the programme, which has now reached 1,200 young people in just its second year.
Designed to support students’ progression into employment, Classroom to Careers aligns with Luton Council’s 2040 vision of building a healthy, fair town where everyone can thrive. As one of the largest employers in the region, the airport offers a wide range of career pathways—more than half of passholders currently working across the airport live within the LU1-LU4 postcode area.
LLA’s commitment to local skills development received a boost last year with a £90,000 grant from the Reach for the Skies Challenge Fund, a joint initiative from the Department for Transport and the Civil Aviation Authority. The fund supports community volunteering projects, like Classroom to Careers, that aim to inspire and create opportunities for those underrepresented in the sector.
Highlights from LLA’s 2025 Classroom to Careers programme include:
11 skills workshops delivered by LLA volunteers to over 200 secondary school pupils in Luton
A partnership with The Forest of Marston Vale, offering an environmental programme to 180 primary school pupils, providing outdoor learning and raising awareness of biodiversity and nature
A revamp of LLA’s apprenticeship programme, with six local young people recruited to roles in Guest Experience, Health and Safety, Sustainability, Digital Marketing, and Commercial functions
LLA security volunteers supporting nearly 100 participants in a six-month street works employment training programme, aimed at local people seeking traffic management and infrastructure careers in Luton and Bedfordshire
Work experience placements across the airport
Broader activities through LLA’s partnerships with the National Literacy Trust and Green Careers Week
Nik Jones, HR Director at London Luton Airport, said:
“London Luton Airport is proud to invest in the future of our local community through structured skills, training, and career development initiatives. Classroom to Careers is designed to excite and inspire young people, showcasing the wide variety of career opportunities at the airport—from Operations, Finance, and IT, to HR, Marketing, and Commercial. We’re thrilled to see the positive impact of the programme, from workshops and apprenticeships to work placements and university partnerships.”
