Skywings Recruitment statistics 2022

2022 has been a good year for our graduated students with very short wait times between graduation and being offered employment in an airline. As the year comes to an end, all students who graduated from Skywings Flight Training in 2022 found a job as a pilot.

The numbers

With 100% employment rate within an average of less than one month for graduates this year, Skywings experienced an absolute top year. 3 students were even offered employment before they had completed their flight training as they still had to complete their advanced UPRT training. Looking at all the students who graduated from Skywings in its history, 93% is active as an airline pilot and the average time between graduation and the first airline pilot job offer is 4 months. 80% of the graduated Skywings students found a job within less than 3 months.

Boeing 737 and Airbus A320

One third of the graduates went to the Boeing 737, but the most flown type is the Airbus A320. Some of the recently graduated pilots have already made their first landings in an Airbus and will start transporting passengers in the beginning of next year. Other aircraft types include the Airbus A300 (cargo version) and the Pilatus PC12.

Brussels Airlines as number 1 employer for Skywings graduates

Most of the Skywings graduates this year have started a career as a first officer on the Airbus A320 at Brussels Airlines. Brussels Airlines remains the number one employer for Skywings graduates in the history of the school. With 46% of all Skywings graduates flying for Brussels Airlines, they leave number two (Wizzair, with 15%) far behind. Other airlines where our graduates work are DHL, TUI Airlines, ASL Airlines and EAPC.

Outlook for the coming years

Even with high fuel prices and a potential recession, many airlines have managed to become profitable again after the worst of the COVID crisis has passed. Many pilots have taken early retirement during the COVID crisis, and all these places have to be filled up. This typically happens from below, with hiring new, recently graduated pilots.

The aviation sector has once again shown its resilience but more than ever the industry focuses on cost control. This means that airlines have become very picky in their pilot recruitment: before they invest money for the in-house training of their newly hired pilots, they want to have a good indication of the chances of success in the in-company training.

That is why, more than before, airlines look at the flight school a candidate attended. Also in 2023, Skywings intends to keep focusing on its ties with airlines. The good reputation that former Skywings students managed to build up helps maintaining and even expanding these relationships.