Organisations have until 12 September 2025 to apply for the latest Reach for the Sky Challenge fund
The next generation of pilots and engineers will benefit from new £750,000 funding to inspire them, support them into jobs and break down barriers to the sector.
Organisations can, from today (20 June 2025), apply for the latest Reach for the Sky Challenge Fund to help deliver aviation outreach programmes targeting disadvantaged young people, including those from ethnic minorities, who may not have considered a career in the sector before.
Apply for the Reach for the Sky Challenge Fund
Now on its fourth round, Reach for the Sky Challenge Fund has already delivered £2.5 million to 40 organisations and has reached over 100,000 young people across the country.
Funding can be used to deliver a range of programmes from career events, mentorship schemes, interactive demonstrations and educational initiatives with schools and universities.
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This builds on the government’s promise to secure the long-term success of aviation by growing the workforce of the future. It will also break down the barriers which prevent people from joining the industry, including limited access to education, financial constraints and lack of exposure to career options.
To launch the funding, Aviation Minister Mike Kane visited a careers workshop being held by current funding recipients, The King’s Trust, in a Liverpool youth centre. Young adults, ranging from 16 to 30, met aviation specialists, learning about the job opportunities locally in the industry and how to apply. They also took part in employability workshops focused on developing the practical skills needed for work.
Aviation Minister, Mike Kane, said:
Such DfT-funded schemes have already supported over 100,000 young adults across the country to consider joining the industry.
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Aspiring aerospace engineer James, 24, from Bath, has struggled to find work since finishing school. Challenges with his mental health impacted his studies and confidence, and he left without the qualifications he wanted.
After completing a King’s Trust ‘Get Ready with Aviation’ programme last November, he successfully applied to study science, engineering and maths at Bristol University and starts in September.
James said:
Applications for the fund are now open until 12 September 2025 and applications will be reviewed by a joint panel of DfT and UK Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) , which administers the fund on DfT’s behalf.
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Sophie Jones, STEM Sponsor at the CAA, said:
Julia Beaumont, Chief Technology and Programmes Officer at The King’s Trust, said:
Jeni Trice, CEO and Chief Coding Adventurer at Get with the Program, said:
Mariya Tarabanovska, Founder of Flight Crowd and DfT Aviation Ambassador, said: