Global air travel is set for sustained growth over the next two decades, driving fleet expansion and a sharp rise in demand for skilled aviation professionals. With that growth comes a major talent challenge: Industry projections suggest that, over the next two decades, global aviation may require roughly 600,000 to 700,000 new pilots, about 650,000 to 800,000 maintenance technicians, and approximately 900,000 to 1.1 million cabin crew to support growth and replacement needs.

This panel will discuss how we scale hiring and training while strengthening safety outcomes. We’ll explore how to impart safety culture and professionalism to the next generation, whether training capacity and competency standards can keep pace, how technology (simulation, data, AI-enabled learning, competency-based training and assessment) can accelerate proficiency, and where leadership and mentoring must step in to sustain performance under growth pressures.