As demonstrated by the COVID-19 crisis, aviation industry resilience and vitality are in many areas constrained by the availability of suitably trained, qualified and experienced staff. The issue affects everyone – people on the sharp end in flight operations, maintenance, ground handling, air traffic control and airport personnel, as well as managers and other personnel on the blunt end. There has also been a loss of experience through normal retirement and through redundancies where alternative employment has proved more attractive than returning to aviation. At the same time, new realities in the industry and society, including paradigms for sustainable development, technological advances, new business models and new generations are bringing new demands for particular skills and knowledge.