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Athens International Airport S.A.
The objective is to empower the younger generation through a continuous learning and development journey that connects knowledge with practice, education with career choices, and skills development with the world of work. Through experiential learning, career guidance, educational information and employability training, the initiative aims to help young people discover their interests and capabilities, make more informed educational choices and build the skills and confidence needed for their future. At the same time, it provides meaningful support to employees and families during important educational and career-transition stages.
The initiative addresses young people at different stages of their educational and professional journey. The Hellenic Aviation Summer School primarily addresses young people aged 13–17, including employees’ children and, where applicable, students from the wider community. The Career Guidance and University Application Support activities address high-school students, while the Employability Skills Development Program focuses on young people aged 20–25 preparing to enter the labour market. The informational talks and webinars also engage employees and families, supporting parents in navigating their children's educational and career choices.
Activities run throughout the year. The Summer School is held annually (2024-2026); in 2026, it ran from 22 June to 2 July. Career guidance includes one-year platform access, while employability workshops offer 4-6 weeks of follow-up support, as required.
AIA has developed a continuous educational and career-development pathway that supports young people at different stages of their journey — from exploring interests and discovering new fields, through making informed educational choices, to developing the skills needed for entry into the labour market. The initiative brings together complementary actions that provide employees’ children with access to experiential learning, career guidance, educational information and employability skills. It combines the Hellenic Aviation Summer School, which introduces young people to aviation, technology, innovation and STEAM through hands-on learning, with career guidance and university application support for high-school students, an employability skills program for young people aged 20–25, and informational talks and webinars for employees and families.
Together, the actions create a continuum of support:
EXPLORE → CHOOSE → PREPARE → INFORM
Rather than a one-off educational intervention, the initiative accompanies young people through successive transition points in their educational and early professional journey.
Key participation figures
Hellenic Aviation Summer School
2024: 33 participants
2025: 36 participants
2026: 30 participants
99 participants across 2024–2026
Career Guidance & Development Program
H2 2025: 129 participants in talks and 50 participants in the program
H1 2026: 239 participants in talks
Employability Skills Program: launch in H2 2026
The initiative is structured as a continuous pathway comprising four complementary pillars:
1. EXPLORE – Hellenic Aviation Summer School
The Hellenic Aviation Summer School transforms the airport into a living learning environment, introducing young people to aviation, technology, innovation and STEAM through classroom-based learning, experiential activities at Athens International Airport and Megara Airport, and practical familiarisation with modern flight simulators.
The program is structured around three educational cycles: Basic Principles of Aviation, Flight Operations and Air Transport Management.
2. CHOOSE – Career Guidance & University Application Support
High-school students receive specialised career guidance supporting self-awareness, exploration of educational and professional options and informed study choices. Individual support is also provided for the completion of university application forms at a critical transition point between secondary and higher education.
3. PREPARE – Employability Skills Development
Young people aged 20–25 can participate in a program designed to strengthen their readiness for entry into the labour market. The program focuses on practical skills including CV preparation, interview readiness, personal branding and job-search strategy, with follow-up support after the workshop.
4. INFORM – Talks & Webinars
Informational talks and webinars provide employees, families and young people with access to knowledge on studies, professions, career pathways and developments in the labour market.
Together, the four pillars create a holistic pathway from early exposure and exploration to informed educational decisions and professional readiness.
The initiative is implemented through collaboration with specialised external organisations. The Hellenic Aviation Summer School has been implemented in collaboration with the New England Aeronautical Institute and Metropolitan College, combining AIA’s operational expertise with specialised academic and aviation-education knowledge. The Career Guidance & Development Program is implemented in collaboration with ORIENTUM – Career Counsellors, providing specialised expertise in career counselling and employability development. These partnerships complement AIA’s own expertise and contribute to the quality, credibility and applied character of the initiative.
The initiative is developed and coordinated by AIA, with the relevant activities led by the Human Resources Corporate Unit, in collaboration with the relevant internal functions and external educational and career-development partners. The programs are not dependent on a volunteer model. Employees’ children participate as direct beneficiaries, while selected activities also extend to students from the wider community and to employees and families through talks and webinars.
The initiative combines experiential learning and digital tools. The Hellenic Aviation Summer School takes place at AIA and Megara Airport, with classes and flight simulators. Career guidance is provided online or by phone.
The initiative provides young people with opportunities to access experiences and knowledge that extend beyond the conventional school environment. Through the Hellenic Aviation Summer School, participants gain first-hand exposure to a real aviation ecosystem and explore the role of technology, safety, innovation, collaboration and infrastructure in aviation. This provides tangible stimuli for considering future educational and professional pathways. Through career guidance and university application support, high-school students receive personalised assistance at important decision-making points, helping them explore their interests and make more informed choices about further education. For young adults, employability training translates learning into practical preparation for the workplace, strengthening skills relevant to the transition into employment. Across the initiative, participation has also demonstrated continued engagement: the Summer School reached 99 participants over 2024–2026, while the career-development activities recorded 129 talk participants and 50 program participants in H2 2025, followed by 239 talk participants in H1 2026. The overall approach therefore extends support from awareness and exploration to decision-making and professional preparation, addressing different needs as young people progress through their educational and early career journey.
For AIA, the initiative represents a long-term investment in education, the younger generation and the development of future skills, while creating direct value for employees and their families. It reinforces AIA’s role not only as an airport operator, but also as a source of knowledge, learning and professional inspiration. In particular, the Hellenic Aviation Summer School enables AIA to open its operational environment to young people as a learning space, providing an authentic connection between education and the aviation sector. At the same time, the broader career-development pathway strengthens employee experience and demonstrates practical support for families at important stages of their children's educational and professional development.