31,000 pilots and 26,000 mechanics will be required in the aviation industry as per Boeing's forecast.

Boeing's commercial marketing outlook forecasts that India will receive over 90% of aeroplane deliveries in South Asia in the next 20 years. Numbers tell a story and in the case of the aviation sector, the story looks like a promising one. With the increase in demand and activity in the sector, the need for resources (read skilled manpower) and the necessity to build a robust training infrastructure will increase.  

But before dwelling upon the employment prospects, getting a pulse on the growing demand in the sector is important.

Identifying the key demand areas

Approximately 2,210 new aeroplanes are demanded, of which single-aisle jets will comprise the majority and widebody aeroplanes will comprise 10%. "Additionally, there is a growing demand for commercial services to support fleet replacement, which is valued at $135 billion", adds Salil Gupte, President, Boeing India.

As of now, 2,50,000 people are directly employed in the Aviation and aeronautical manufacturing sector according to MoCA. This number is expected to grow to around 3,50,000 by 2024 and considering the volume of activity, it comes as no surprise that the numbers are likely to shoot up.

Identifying the key employment generators

The accentuated numbers, in terms of demand for manufacturing and commercial services, suggest that employment numbers are going to see a steep rise in the aviation industry. In terms of employment outlook for the next two decades, it is estimated 31,000 pilots and 26,000 mechanics will be required as per Boeing's forecast.

Pointing towards key employment generators, Rakhee Biswas, Co–Managing Partner, Spaviatech Laws says, "Maintenance, Repair, Overhauling (MRO) and ground handling shall be the key direct employment generators, more than 3 million indirect and ancillary jobs are also expected to be generated in several towns and cities where the air traffic is expanding rapidly to about 220 airports in the next 5 years."

In addition to the smooth operations of these airlines, exceptional regulatory and safety compliance and continued focus on ‘customer experience’ shall indeed make the energised  Aviation sector one of the fastest and most noteworthy feather in India’s cap of global prominence, she adds. 

Making the workforce future-ready

The growth potential not only offers job opportunities for skilled individuals but also contributes to the economic development of the country while encouraging the development of vocational training and skill-building programs for young people. 

Scaling up the readiness and skill development of an estimated large workforce is the need of the hour to sync seamlessly with the operational demand. It not only requires launching initiatives that focus on increasing the employability prospects of the workforce but working towards building a sound training infrastructure at various places in the country.

Giving us a sense of the skilling and reskilling initiatives, Gupte emphasizes on the Accelerated Apprenticeship Program undertaken in collaboration with AI Engineering Services Limited and the Ministry of Civil Aviation. The program seeks to increase the employment prospects of aircraft maintenance engineers.

Building the right infrastructure necessary

On the aspect of building the necessary infrastructure, Boeing has established a state-of-the-art training centre in Mumbai that offers a customized curriculum designed by Boeing experts, as well as access to advanced training aids. 

The first and second cohorts of graduates from the program, who completed their studies in 2019 and 2021 respectively, have been successfully absorbed by prominent Indian airlines, tells Gupte.

Furthermore, Boeing is partnering with Air India, Tata, MSMEs, and other industry stakeholders to offer training opportunities to pilots, aircraft maintenance engineers, technicians, and frontline factory workers throughout India. To date, nearly 4,000 workers have benefited from these initiatives, he adds.

Well, the unprecedented upward demand curve in the aviation industry in the new normal coupled with the encouraging employment curve makes the sector a bright spot in India's economic and manpower growth story for years to come, until and unless we don't see a Covid-like situation again.