Women of Aviation Inspire the Next Generation at Manchester Airport Event
By Business Correspondent
Five women working across the aviation industry shared their stories and career advice with hundreds of young people during a special live recording of Manchester Airport’s official podcast.
The episode of “Manchester: Your Airport, MAN” was recorded in front of a live audience at the airport’s first Aviation Careers Festival, where hundreds of secondary school and college students gathered to learn about opportunities in the aviation sector.
The episode has now been released in audio and video formats following International Women’s Day on 8 March, highlighting the experiences of women working in roles that have traditionally been male-dominated.
Hosted by broadcaster Hywel Evans, formerly of BBC Radio 6 Music, Key 103 and Rock FM, the event took the form of an open Q&A session.
Students were invited to ask questions directly to the panel about their careers, training and what it takes to work in aviation.
The panel featured five women working in very different roles across the industry.
Melanie Lawley, Head of Airfield Operations at Manchester Airport, spoke about her role overseeing the day-to-day running of the airfield, including runway operations, aircraft movements and the teams responsible for airside transport.
Air Traffic Controller Kate Wild shared insights from her 19-year career with NATS. After beginning her career at Manchester Airport straight out of training, she has since worked both in the UK and abroad and now operates as a Tower and Approach Controller while also supervising operational teams during shifts.
Virgin Atlantic Captain Lauren Wigglesworth told students about her journey from first joining the airline in 2016 to recently becoming a Captain earlier this year.
She previously flew the airline’s iconic Boeing 747 before transitioning to the Airbus A330 fleet. Alongside her flying career, she is also a mum to a five-year-old.
Cabin crew member Laura Moskal-Beresford, who has worked for Virgin Atlantic for 15 years, also discussed her experience supporting passengers through the airline’s Flying Without Fear programme, helping those with severe anxiety about flying.
The panel was completed by Abi Owen-Hodgson, an 18-year-old apprentice aircraft engineer from Liverpool who joined easyJet’s aeronautical engineering apprenticeship scheme last year. She is currently gaining hands-on experience while training as part of a two-year programme.
Students asked a wide range of questions, from how to begin a career in aviation to what happens if an unidentified aircraft enters controlled airspace.
The discussion also touched on the ongoing effort to improve gender balance across the aviation sector. Women still represent only a small proportion of some roles, including commercial pilots, but the panel agreed that the industry is slowly becoming more diverse.
The Manchester: Your Airport, MAN podcast launched in 2023 and is now in its fourth series, attracting more than 10,000 listeners.
Episodes cover topics ranging from new travel routes and holiday trends to airport developments and community initiatives.
The special Aviation Careers Festival episode is available now on major podcast platforms including Spotify, Amazon Music and Apple Podcasts, and can also be watched on YouTube.
