Riyadh, February 18, 2025 — The Future Leaders of Aviation and Tourism (FLOAT) Youth Initiative marked a new milestone as it successfully held its Stakeholder Roundtable during the Arab Aviation Summit (AAS) 2025 in Riyadh.
Hosted in partnership with the World Sustainable Development Fund (WSDF), this roundtable brought together academic leaders, aviation experts, and youth development practitioners to discuss means through which the aviation and tourism industries can better leverage their capacity to attract, empower, and integrate the future generation of leaders.
Launched in 2024, the FLOAT program was established to bridge the gap between the youth professional class and the rapidly evolving world of aviation. In its inaugural year, it has already begun changing the attitude of the youth towards the industry—turning aviation not only into a destination for work but into a platform for global connections, innovation, and green growth.
Key Results of the Roundtable Sessions
1. Increasing Visibility of Careers
Stakeholders emphasized the importance of promoting the variety and scale of career opportunities available to individuals in aviation, extending beyond pilot and cabin crew to careers in aerospace engineering, AI and automation, aviation law, sustainable infrastructure, and travel technology.
2. Building Cross-Sector Collaboration
The roundtable urged strategic partnerships among government institutions, schools, and private entities to prioritize youth participation as a long-term agenda. Participants stressed the need for collective efforts in awareness-raising, mentorship, and providing early-career development through structured programs.
3. Development of a Youth Engagement Framework
Members called for the development of creative approaches to connect youth with aviation and travel by employing school partnership, web-based platforms, and storytelling campaigns that localize and make aviation personal.
Next Steps: White Paper and Roadmap
A comprehensive white paper is currently in development, distilling the roundtable's findings and outlining an actionable agenda for the aviation sector to develop youth outreach, career development, and ecosystem engagement. The report will be both a policy briefing and a strategic roadmap for stakeholders committed to developing a future-proofed aviation workforce.
Acknowledging Contributors
WSDF wishes to convey its warm thanks to the esteemed participants whose work contributed to the success of this event:
Dr. Bader Alaydi, Prince Sultan University
Mohsen Abduljawwad, Saudi Air Connectivity Program (ACP)
Sofia Michaelides-Mateou, Prince Sultan University
Nora Almohizai, Starlight Education
Kate Manson, Dubai Airshow
Dr. Mohammed Yeahiya, Prince Sultan University
Yvonne Winter, FlyNow Aviation
Dr. Ioanna Karanikola
Olga Fleming, Chair of the Roundtable
Frederico Fernandes, Director of the Arab Aviation Summit
