ICAO study projects more than 2 million aviation jobs by 2030; reveals shortfalls in training facilities

An ICAO study released Thursday estimates that demand for aviation personnel will reach 2 million by the year 2030 and reveals a shortfall of training capacity in existing facilities, equivalent to 160,000 pilots, 360,000 maintenance personnel and 40,000 air traffic controllers.

The study projects the number of  "commercially operated aircraft" will jump from 61,833 in 2010 to 151,565 between 2010 and 2030. It estimates the number of annual departures will increase from around 26 million to almost 52 million, which would “more than double the current number of aviation personnel worldwide.”

ICAO Secretary General Raymond Benjamin said, “If no action to increase training capacity is initiated early, shortages in qualified aviation personnel are likely. Thanks to this latest ICAO study, the extent and locations of such shortages can now be better identified and effectively addressed by member states, industry and other concerned stakeholders.”