Holland-Kaye: Heathrow Academy saved taxpayers £8 million

LONDON, England – The Heathrow Academy has saved the government’s benefits bill about £8 million through its work filling the skills gaps and giving local people in jobs over the eleven years of its operation said Heathrow Chief Executive John Holland-Kaye last night.

Local MPs and councillors joined CEO John Holland-Kaye to celebrate Heathrow Academy’s latest cohort of 82 apprentices and the success of the Academy over the past eleven years.

Heathrow Academy’s dedicated team of recruiters, trainers, assessors and mentors provide local people with the training and support to get into work at the airport. Over the 11 years since the Academy was established, over 5,000 local residents – from school leaving age upwards – have been placed into further training opportunities and more than 3,188 have been placed directly into work at the airport.
In total, over 76,500 people are employed at Heathrow, equal to one in five jobs in the local area. Over half of the people who work at Heathrow live in the five local boroughs – Slough, Spelthorne, Hounslow, Hillingdon, Ealing – closest to the airport. Heathrow Airport has invested over £4 million in the growth of the Academy, and has ambitious plans for its future. Should Heathrow expansion go ahead, the airport has promised to offer 10,000 apprenticeships over the course of the expansion project.

Heathrow Chief Executive John Holland-Kaye said:

“ The Academy gives an opportunity for talented local people to fulfil their potential, through one of the many amazing careers open to them at Heathrow. My aim is that a future Chief Executive of Heathrow will come from one of our local communities – and their journey may well start at the Academy.”

The Heathrow Academy works in partnership with Heathrow employers to support and complement their people strategies by sourcing suitable candidates, giving and developing people’s skills, succession planning and inducting their teams. There are three strands to Heathrow Academy services: recruitment, apprenticeship and development. All of which support Heathrow employers to continually improve service standards through their people.