London City Airport has brought together more than 500 students from east London for its annual ‘STEM in Aviation Day’, showcasing the technologies and skills shaping the future of aviation.

Held at ExCeL London and themed ‘Future of Flight’, the event highlighted how innovation, data-led thinking and new technologies can support the industry’s transition to a more sustainable, low-carbon future.

Partners including Accenture, British Airways CityFlyer, Embraer, GKN Aerospace, NATS, UK Power Network Services and the University of East London delivered interactive workshops and presentations illustrating how STEM skills translate into real-world aviation roles.

London City Airport used the event to launch four new online learning resources – Future of Flight, Airspace Modernisation, Decarbonisation and Green Jobs – developed as part of its Sustainability Roadmap.

Aimed at educators and students, the materials offer accessible insight into how the industry is evolving and can be downloaded from the airport’s website.

The initiative supports the UK Government’s ambition for the country to become a global science and technology superpower by 2030, reinforcing the importance of STEM education in sustaining an aviation sector that contributes billions to the economy and supports more than 200,000 jobs.

Michael Kissman, director of corporate affairs at London City Airport, said: “London City strives to be the airport everybody loves. For us, that means more than just speed and convenience; it means being an airport that supports its community and creates opportunities for the next generation.

“It was rewarding to see first-hand how this event opened up a world of possibilities to students from across east London.”

Daniele Sansone, regional director – airline marketing EMEA at Embraer, said: “It was a pleasure to speak with students in east London about the future of aviation and how Embraer is working to meet the sustainability challenge.

“My thanks to London City Airport for the invitation – inspiring young people to pursue STEM subjects is essential to building the industry’s future.”

During the event students also competed in a business challenge to design the airport of the future, integrating advanced technologies and greener energy sources.

Eight teams reached the final, with Willowfield School in Waltham Forest crowned overall winner for its forward-thinking concept covering infrastructure, operations and next-generation aircraft. Sarah Bonnell School in Newham was named runner-up.

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