VIRGIN ATLANTIC ENGINEER ACCEPTED ONTO UK GOVERNMENT’S AVIATION AMBASSADORS PROGRAMME
- Alice Goodwin is a design and development engineer at the airline.
- Aviation Minister Anthony Browne hopes the new cohort will inspire the next generation of aviation professionals.
Virgin Atlantic is delighted to announce that Alice Goodwin, one of its design and development engineers, has been chosen by the UK Government as one of only ten newly appointed Aviation Ambassadors. Aviation Minister Anthony Browne announced the chosen candidates this morning, with the aim of inspiring the next generation of aviation professionals.
Alice is responsible for fleet maintenance activities, with a focus on ensuring the safety, integrity and reliability of aircraft systems. She’s also passionate about STEM and is keen to inspire more women into aviation engineering roles. Alice is already a mentor to young people at numerous aviation organisations. These roles include the airline’s own Passport to Change programme, alongside it’s VALUED network, which celebrates Black, Asian and minority ethnic employees and allies at Virgin Atlantic.
The Department for Transport, who are running the programme, hopes that having a young and diverse workforce that can embrace and adapt to new challenges – whether that be new technologies, cleaner travel or emerging trends – will ensure the UK is at the cutting edge of the aviation industry. Over the next two years the ambassadors will serve as mentors and advocates, using their experience and knowledge to encourage young people to use their skills in aviation.
Speaking about her appointment, Alice Goodwin commented;
"Aviation engineering is a dynamic and interesting industry, full of passionate and inspiring individuals. I am really looking forward to being an ambassador and having the platform to showcase the amazing opportunities available in our industry to young people."
Aviation Minister Anthony Browne commented;
“As the aviation industry evolves, these new Aviation Ambassadors will shine a light on this rewarding sector, attracting talented individuals who might otherwise miss their opportunity.
“These Ambassadors will help to attract even more innovation and creativity to the industry, showcasing the opportunities available in this exciting new era of new technology and decarbonisation.”
Virgin Atlantic’s own charity partnerships, of which Alice contributes to, are designed to improve diversity and encourage more women into STEM roles. These include Passport to Change, which delivered over 6,500 hundred learning hours of inspiring career talks, interactive activities and mentoring throughout a number of secondary schools. Of those students who graduated, 49% of them were female, and 39% of them where ethnically diverse.
Alice is also a mentor with another Virgin Atlantic charity partner, the Smallpiece Trust. Focussing on STEM, it uses its educational resources to focus on increasing student engagement in STEM subjects, in particular engineering.
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For further information please contact the Virgin Atlantic press office on +441293 747373 or email press.office@fly.virgin.com
About Virgin Atlantic
Virgin Atlantic was founded by entrepreneur Sir Richard Branson in 1984, with innovation and amazing customer service at its core. In 2023, Virgin Atlantic was voted Britain’s only Global Five Star Airline by APEX for the seventh year running in the Official Airline Ratings. Headquartered in London, it employs more than 7,500 people worldwide, flying customers to 30 destinations across four continents throughout the year.
Alongside shareholder and Joint Venture partner Delta Air Lines, Virgin Atlantic operates a leading transatlantic network, with onward connections to over 200 cities around the world. In February 2020, Air France-KLM, Delta Air Lines and Virgin Atlantic launched an expanded Joint Venture, offering a comprehensive route network, convenient flight schedules, competitive fares and reciprocal frequent flyer benefits, including the ability to earn and redeem miles across all carriers. Virgin Atlantic joined SkyTeam in March 2023 as the global airline alliance’s first and only UK member airline, enhancing the alliance’s transatlantic network and services to and from Heathrow and Manchester Airport.
Virgin Atlantic has been pioneering sustainability leadership for more than 15 years, committing to Net Zero by 2050 and continuous action that reduces environmental impact. The airline operates one of the youngest and most fuel-efficient fleets in the skies and has reduced its absolute carbon emissions by 35% over the last decade. In October 2022, Virgin Atlantic welcomed the first of 16 A330-900neos to the fleet, continuing its transformation towards 100% next generation aircraft by 2027. In November 2023, Virgin Atlantic led an industry consortium to deliver the first 100% SAF flight across the transatlantic. Demonstrating that 100% SAF can be used safely as a drop in fuel in existing infrastructure, engines and airframes. The need to scale production is an industry imperative and Virgin Atlantic is committed to radical collaboration across the energy chain to support commercialisation ahead of 2030.
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