Salary, quality of life, and job stability are keys to attracting and retaining millennials in business aviation, according to millennials participating in the Generation Next session last week at the NBAA International Operators Conference in Las Vegas. Millennials—those 35 and younger—are needed to staff tomorrow’s flight departments, but industry statistics and a sparse show of hands of millennials among IOC attendees indicate a large, looming shortfall.
Whatever the long-term solution, panelists cited steps companies can take now to recruit and keep talent: conduct industry salary and benefit reviews to ensure compensation is competitive; give new hires a voice and a vision of where they can go in the company; provide financial incentives for those assuming additional responsibilities; and establish internships.
Kurt Stehling, a Global 6000 international captain, suggested employers “invest in people”—for example, by funding ongoing education. Meanwhile, Brandon Williams, lead training pilot with Richardson Aviation, said appreciation for work well done is important. He recalled seeing championship-style flags with names on them suspended in a hangar during his job interview. When he learned they were in honor of individual employees’ efforts, “I knew that’s where I wanted to work,” he said.