Highlighting that age is no barrier to changing careers, budget airline easyJet has launched a campaign to encourage more over 50s to apply for cabin crew positions.
The initiative follows easyJet’s recent research of 2000 Brits over 50, which found nearly three-quarters (74%) of over 50s felt that it was the perfect time of life to change careers.
The main motivations behind this were…
- To take on a new challenge (82%)
- To have as many experiences as possible (77%)
- To pursue a dream job (66%)
Sixty-three percent of people surveyed also said that they felt they had acquired a wealth of transferable skills and experiences that would be valuable for many careers; while 40% said they now had more freedom, for example, because children have left home.
Stuart Lewis, CEO of Rest Less, recently said on BBC Radio Kent, “Changing careers over 50 is increasingly common. When you look at official data, average full-time earnings peak in our 40s and then decline in our 50s and 60s, which is indicative of a large number of us actually making a career change to something that’s perhaps a bit more rewarding or a bit more fulfilling.
“[…] One-third of the workforce is now over the age of 50 and that number is set to grow. So this age-inclusivity and leaning into an older workforce is no longer nice to have. It’s an essential part of workforce planning.”
However, as we understand from our more than one million-strong Rest Less member base, ageism is a significant barrier to over 50s changing careers. In fact, easyJet’s research revealed that 71% of over 50s surveyed believe they wouldn’t be accepted for a cabin crew job due to their age.
Stuart said, “In our work, we see ageism is still very prevalent in the recruitment process and in the workforce. We talk about it as one of the last socially acceptable forms of prejudice and actually that’s why policies and programmes, such as easyJet Returnships, are so useful because they wave a beacon saying, ‘Hey, you’re not going to get discriminated against because of your age in the recruitment process’.
“That attracts an enormous amount of people who may have been on the fence about it, but thought ‘Maybe they don’t want me’, ‘Maybe it’s not for me’. It’s waving a big flag that applicants from all ages are welcome, which we’re really pleased with.”
Michael Brown, Director of Cabin Services at easyJet – “Being cabin crew can be a job for anyone with the skills, no matter their age”
Taking ageism into account, along with the latest ONS data showing rising employment rates for over 50s, easyJet is welcoming people from this demographic to bring their skills and experience to the cabin crew profession.
In 2025, hundreds of roles will become available and Michael Brown, Director of Cabin Services at easyJet said, “Being cabin crew can be a job for anyone with the skills, no matter their age, which is why it’s important that through our initiatives like our ‘Returnship’ campaign, we tackle misconceptions about the job and broaden horizons for even more talented people looking for a new opportunity who can bring their wealth of life experience to the industry.
“So, if you’re passionate about working with people and want a job that’s different every day, then we would absolutely encourage you to apply and can’t wait to welcome you on board as part of the team.”
Since 2022, easyJet’s number of new cabin crew over 50 has doubled, while the number of over 60s has increased fourfold. They’ve even added the age – 73 – of their oldest employee to their recruitment page.
As part of their new ‘Returnship’ initiative, to further embrace and encourage age diversity, the airline will also offer free online cabin crew career info sessions and a hands-on cabin crew training taster session at its London Gatwick cabin crew training centre. The aim is to allow anyone interested in a cabin crew career to find out more from easyJet’s training and recruitment experts.
So far, the events have been so popular that they’ve sold out. But to keep an eye on upcoming online sessions or Cabin Crew Open Days, you can follow easyJet’s Eventbrite page here. You can also find out more about becoming a cabin crew member on easyJet’s careers website.
Have you ever considered becoming a cabin crew member? Or, if you’re an employer, could you adopt a similar recruitment campaign to encourage age diversity? We’d love to hear from you in the comments below.