September 24, 2024
On September 21, we had a fantastic time celebrating the 10th anniversary of Girls in Aviation Day, partnering with San José State University’s Aviation Department and the San Francisco-Bay Area Chapter of Women in Aviation International. This exciting event took place at Reid-Hillview Airport, where we aimed to inspire young girls to explore the thrilling world of aviation!
From flying planes to airport administration and air traffic control, we showcased the wide array of careers in the aviation industry. Did you know that while women make up about 47% of the U.S. workforce, they hold less than 20% of aviation jobs? That’s a statistic we’re eager to help change!
According to a survey published in 2023 by The International Civil Aviation Organization, there’s been a slight increase in women in aviation roles globally, with female pilots rising from 3.6% to 4.0% since 2016. North America scored highest globally, with 4.6% women pilots, followed by Africa and Europe with 4.1% and 4.0%, respectively. The percentage of female aircraft maintenance engineers and technicians rose from 2.7% to 3.0% worldwide. The number of women air traffic controllers remained stable globally at around 20.6%. The Latin America/Caribbean region featured the highest percentage of women controllers, with 31.8%, followed by Europe, with 21.4%.
While it’s progress, we know there’s still a long way to go. In fact, the Global Gender Gap Report 2022 predicts it will take another 132 years to close the gender gap—something we need to improve!
SJC currently employs 85 women in various roles, from Senior Leadership to Operations or Facilities workers, representing roughly 40% of total employees, a number well above the industry’s average.
At SJC, we believe in the power of events like Girls in Aviation Day to spark interest and passion in the next generation of women in aviation and connected fields. And we use every opportunity we get to showcase the diversity of roles available at an airport and the various pathways to get there. By encouraging girls to consider careers in aviation, we’re working together to break down barriers in an industry that's eager for their talents.
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