The Emirates Group, the Ubai-based aviation company is planning a significant workforce expansion. The company is aiming to increase its staff by 25 per cent over the next year to support its upcoming growth phase.
In this hiring spree, the company is set to add more than 5,000 new cabin crew members to its existing team of 22,700, and plans to recruit over 1,700 pilots over the next three years.
As part of its growth strategy, the Emirates Group is preparing to take delivery of 10 A350 aircraft this year, with a total of 65 on order. In the coming years, the company will also begin receiving Boeing 777-X aircraft, with 205 of these planes on order. This expansion will require significant workforce support across various roles, particularly in IT, aeronautical engineering, customer service and professional positions. Emirates’ subsidiary, dnata, is also actively recruiting for roles in airport and cargo operations, catering, retail and travel.
In the 2023-24 fiscal year, the Emirates Group invested $2.4 billion in new aircraft, facilities, equipment, companies and technology, resulting in a 10 per cent increase in its workforce, now totaling 1,12,406 employees, the largest in its history. Currently, the company has more than 700 job openings advertised on its careers’ website, highlighting the intense competition for positions, with over 3.4 million applications received in the past year, reported MoneyControl.
As technology continues to transform the aviation industry, technical skills are becoming increasingly vital across nearly every role at Emirates. However, the company also emphasises the importance of soft skills, seeking employees who are eager to continue developing and learning. In line with this, over 5,000 employees participated in workshops focused on professional and leadership skills, reflecting a 95 per cent increase from the previous year.
Emirates Group is also committed to enhancing diversity within its workforce. Last year, the company established a Gender Balance Council to advocate for female employees and promote knowledge sharing. As a result, the percentage of women in the workforce increased to 43 per cent in FY24, up from 41 per cent in FY23. Women made up 56 per cent of all new recruits and 55 per cent of all promotions from middle to senior management.
