Ciara Ruane
Chief People Officer, Avolon
The aircraft leasing sector can sustain a powerful and successful presence in Ireland by attracting the top talent and seeking employee engagement.
It’s an exciting time for the aviation sector in Ireland. The country is the global leader in aircraft leasing with more than half of the world’s aviation financing companies headquartered here. Ciara Ruane, Chief People Officer at Avolon shares her insights into the aviation leasing sector and the future of work. “People have long been fascinated by aviation,” says Ruane. “Young graduates leaving college look at this sector as a chance to join a world leader.”
Competitive market for skills
Companies in the aviation sector based in Ireland must consider how to boost their competitive advantage to attract the skills they require to thrive in such a global hot spot. “It’s a candidate’s market now,” says Ruane. “Differentiation has never been more important.”
One way to stand out from competitors is to invest in people and strive to sustain high employee engagement. “Our people and values are our strongest assets,” says Ruane. “We ensure we understand our employees, what’s important to them and how we can adapt our programmes to drive high-performance and engagement while being fully supportive at the same time.”
Our people and values are our strongest assets.
Fostering talent through partnerships
Nurturing talent starts early. “Education is a fundamental pillar in equipping the future workforce with the skills the aviation industry needs as well as to retain Ireland’s position as a global leader,” says Ruane. Establishing partnerships between aircraft leasing companies and education centres enhances the visibility of the industry to a wider talent pool.
Avolon has partnered with a number of Irish and international universities focused on improving awareness and building a robust talent pipeline for the industry. “This has been really important to us, to spend time and invest in these partnerships to ensure we have the best and smartest people in our business,” says Ruane.
Promoting diversity in aviation
A diverse and inclusive workforce provides a distinct competitive advantage in the aviation sector. This includes gender and cultural diversity, plus providing initiatives that foster such an inclusive environment.
“As a global organisation we have a truly diverse customer base. For us to have diversity of thought and to put ourselves in the shoes of our customers, we need to represent that diversity in Avolon. Diversity and inclusion make us a more high-performing company and differentiates us within our industry.”