Wings+ November 2025 Edition
Talent has never been the barrier, access has. As aviation faces a pivotal workforce shift, this issue examines the structural gaps, emerging pathways and the women ready to step into roles the indus
FROM THE WINGS OF LEGACY TEAM
Wings of Legacy exists to create access where potential already exists. We focus on industries where women have the ambition and capability but not the same visibility or networks as their peers.
Aviation is our starting point because it stands at a turning point: technology, sustainability and workforce shifts are creating both urgency and opportunity. Airlines, engineering firms and maintenance teams face a growing shortage of skilled professionals. Women remain underrepresented in the very roles that are hardest to fill.
The issue is not talent, it is visibility and support. Our goal is to illuminate the pathways that already exist and connect the women ready to take them.
THE NUMBERS BEHIND THE OPPORTUNITY
6%
of pilots worldwide are women.
<10%
of newly issued pilots licences go to women.
14%
of senior exec roles are held by women.
6%
hold top leadership positions.
WHERE THIS CHANGE IS ALREADY HAPPENING
The good news? Change is not hypothetical; it’s thankfully already taking shape in places where education, ambition and industry are beginning to connect. Universities are stepping forward.
Universities are beginning to play a key role. Wings of Legacy is currently working with the University of Edinburgh’s Careers Service to make aviation training routes and industry pathways more visible to students. We are also exploring partnership models with UCL and EPFL to expand access, guidance and peerled support across additional campuses. This reflects the momentum already building and the work still in progress.
Support is becoming more practical. These partnerships are testing what genuine help looks like – from mentorship and application guidance to peer-led storytelling and professional networks. This isn’t about inspiration alone but about clear, actionable direction.
Aviation is becoming a test case for wider change. What is being learned here will shape similar initiatives in sectors such as mobility, cybersecurity and space technology. Aviation is simply where the proof begins.
Real access happens when information, people and opportunity meet in the same place. That process has started, and with continued effort, it will go far beyond aviation.
EVENTS WORTH YOUR TIME
These are not general listings. They are spaces where decisions, relationships and opportunities begin to take shape. Will we see you there?
The Visibility Session: London - January 2026, in-person, UK
A gathering of AI and innovation leaders shaping the future of responsible technology, ethics, and the next generation of the UK’s AI workforce. Be in the room. Ticket numbers are limited and the conversations happening here matter.
Women Securing The Future 2026 - February 2026, virtual (CET)
A global forum on women driving the future of security, technology and infrastructure – aviation included. Register, take up space and connect with peers and leaders internationally.
EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW
Shaniya Marshall Pilot in Training and Founder of PrettyPinkPilots
At just seventeen, Shaniya discovered aviation almost by accident. Today she is training as a pilot and has founded PrettyPinkPilots, a platform designed to make aviation feel more relatable and visible for other young women. Her story captures what this movement is about: access, mentorship, persistence and belief. We were lucky enough to catch up with her recently.
How did you first become interested in aviation?
Shaniya: I stumbled across it through a family friend who invited me to a discovery flight. The moment I took off, I knew this was what I wanted to do. Before that, I never saw women who looked like me in the cockpit, so it never seemed possible.
What challenges have you faced along the way?
Shaniya: Funding and confidence have both been major hurdles. Training is expensive, and there are moments when imposter syndrome creeps in. What keeps me going is the purpose – knowing that each hour in the air gets me closer to proving it can be done.
Why did you start PrettyPinkPilots?
Shaniya: I wanted to show other girls that aviation isn’t an unreachable dream. PrettyPinkPilots is about sharing the ups and downs, making training visible and building a community around something that often feels isolated.
What advice would you give to other young women who want to follow your path?
Shaniya: Start where you are. Research scholarships, talk to mentors, join online communities and get your first discovery flight booked. The first step is what makes everything real.
HOW TO BEGIN YOUR OWN PATHWAY INTO AVIATION
A realistic starting point looks like this:
Follow the licence pathway.
Most pilots move from a Private Pilot Licence (PPL) to a Commercial Pilot Licence (CPL), then build hours through instructor ratings such as CFI and CFII. Wings of Legacy helps demystify those steps and make them visible.
Find mentors early.
Shaniya’s journey began with a mentor who opened the door to her first flight. We’re developing mentorship models with universities to make that kind of support easier to find.
Write it down.
Tracking goals, finances and deadlines keeps progress visible and manageable.
Stay disciplined, not just motivated.
Consistency – not ideal conditions, is what builds hours, passes exams and opens doors.
Stay connected.
No one understands this journey more than those on it. Wings of Legacy exists to bring them together.
This is not about creating a new path, but making an existing one accessible.
CLOSING THOUGHTS - FROM THE WINGS OF LEGACY TEAM
At Wings of Legacy, we believe that Aviation has always symbolised possibility. But access to that sky has never been equal. Now, with skills shortages, new technologies and a generation of women unwilling to wait for permission, change is no longer theoretical, it is necessary. Progress will not come from inspiration alone, but from infrastructure, visibility and the refusal to accept that legacy systems cannot be rewritten. If you want to be part of that change and to understand the systems, hear from the people rewriting them and uncover new opportunities as they open – stay with us.
This is only the beginning!