Connecting young talent: NATS young professionals take flight at the Dubai Airshow

Last week, our Young Professionals’ Network (YPN) had the opportunity to represent NATS at the Dubai Airshow. The NATS YPN helps to champion people aged 18-35 across our business, giving them a chance to grow both professionally and personally, build valuable relationships and get their careers off to the best possible start.

All of us are passionate about ensuring the voices of our talented young workforce are not just heard but celebrated and supported, so having the chance to visit Dubai was an amazing opportunity. From meeting inspiring peers from the dans (Dubai Air Navigation Service) Youth Council to presenting to senior leaders, the week offered a fantastic chance for us as a network to strengthen global connections and highlight the power of collaboration.

After a long flight, we kicked off the week with a presentation to some of our senior leaders and the NATS International team, sharing the progress of our collaboration with the dans Youth Council and outlining our vision for its future. Although a little nerve wracking at first, it was an incredible chance to showcase the progress we’ve made since signing our MoU and share our vision for the future.

We were especially excited to explore our ideas to evolve the partnership, including a global connector to allow young professionals to network across both organisations, joint learning sessions and allyship opportunities. The session gave us an excellent opportunity to discuss how leaders across the business can support and champion this work, helping us build a stronger, more globally connected network for early-career talent, helping to empower our young professionals.

We were delighted to also present alongside Fatima and Maryam, our two Emirati graduates working in the NATS Services (NSL) team in our Dubai office. Hearing about their journey through the international graduate scheme was fascinating, and spending time with them gave us a real sense of the global opportunities within NSL.

Later on, we attended the company’s evening event, where we enjoyed meeting both colleagues and customers – an interesting insight into what NATS is doing with our international partners. The conversations were thought-provoking and engaging, leaving us feeling encouraged and even more connected as a team.

On Wednesday we were thrilled to be hosted by a group of dans YPN members at our first Dubai Airshow. The event was an excellent chance to get insights into both their work within dans but also the latest industry developments – including an impressive model of the new Al Maktoum airport, showcasing the five-runway design planned for 2032.

With the NATS leadership team

One of the highlights of the week had to be watching the displays right above our heads. Whilst we braved the hot weather, it was fantastic to see the latest aircraft technology on show, including the brand-new  eVTOLs and F35 fighter jet demonstrations.

The visit was an invaluable experience that strengthened our connection with the dans Youth Council, deepened our understanding of the industry’s direction, and highlighted the clear synergies between our networks. This trip wasn’t just about attending an airshow – it was about building relationships, sharing ideas, and shaping the future of our global network. We cannot wait to build on this momentum over the coming year.

The NATS Early Career scheme will reopen for applications in the New Year. Find out more at nats.aero/early-careers