From ground to sky: growing number of airBaltic employees transforming into pilots

airBaltic announced a continuously increasing number of employees from various departments have decided to change career paths and pursue their dreams of becoming pilots by enrolling in the airBaltic Pilot Academy. Over the past six years, nearly 30 employees have switched from their previous roles to studies in the Pilot Academy, reflecting the company’s commitment to fostering internal talent and promoting career development within the organization.

These employees come from a diverse range of departments, including IT, Cabin Crew, Pilot Academy Administration, Marketing, Safety, Ground Handling, Engineering, Crew Planning, and Maintenance. Among them, 24 are from Latvia and four are from foreign countries. Notably, eight of these future pilots are women, representing 28% of the internal applicants.

Out of the 28 employees in training, 11 have successfully graduated and are now actively flying as pilots for the company. Additionally, five of them have become flight, theory, and simulator instructors, showcasing the expertise and dedication within airBaltic’s workforce.

Alīna Aronberga, SVP Human Resources at airBaltic commented: “Skilled and well-trained professionals are key to any airline's success. We are thrilled to see more employees embracing new professional challenges by pursuing careers as pilots. This shift highlights their dedication and our commitment to fostering internal mobility through employee reskilling. With already 28 employees from various departments transitioning to pilot roles, we are strengthening company growth, ensuring continued operational success, and showcasing our innovative approach to talent development.”

There are 136 active students at the airBaltic Pilot Academy at the moment. Most of them are from the Baltic countries, however, there are students also from other EU countries such as Denmark, Germany, France, Finland, Spain and Italy among others. Overall, more than 10% of airBaltic Pilot Academy students are female. As for now, 99 students, after graduating, have joined airBaltic.