Aviation professionals have called for stronger training opportunities and career guidance to prepare more young Ghanaians for employment in the aviation industry.They say while many young people aspire to become pilots, cabin crew members and other aviation professionals, limited access to information and structured training continues to make it difficult for some to navigate their way into the sector.The concerns were raised at the Take Off Experience, an initiative established by the founder of Global Aviation Consult, Ivy Hammond, to connect young people’s interest in aviation with practical guidance on entering the industry.Ms Hammond said she created the platform after observing that many aspiring professionals had ambitions but lacked the information and direction needed to pursue them.“The Take Off Experience came about because many young people have dreams, but they do not have the guidance. I wanted to bridge the gap between preparation and aviation,” she said.She hopes the initiative will inspire young people and help develop a pool of Ghanaian professionals capable of taking up different roles in the industry.“In the long run, I want to have professionals in the industry in Ghana who are capable of taking up roles. I want us to be able to tell everybody that we have the personnel in Ghana and we can make it work,” she added.Ms Hammond cautioned young people against viewing aviation as an industry defined only by glamour and luxury.She said pursuing a career in the sector requires preparation, discipline and a willingness to work hard.“If aviation is what you want to go into, do not let it end at a dream. Seek the right guidance. But note that this space is not all luxury. It involves a lot of hard work, commitment and selfless service,” she said.Former cabin crew member Josephine Smart, who is now retired, described the initiative as a timely intervention and called for more programmes to expose young people to the realities of aviation careers.“I must say that I am really impressed. I think it is long overdue. For someone to come up with this initiative is laudable,” she said.Mrs Smart also explained that recruitment into cabin crew positions is not necessarily conducted every year, as airlines generally advertise vacancies based on their staffing requirements.“Whatever airline is there now, unfortunately, recruitment is not done on a monthly basis. It is when they lack crew that they advertise for more. So, if in the next five or ten years they do not need any crew, they will not employ,” she explained.She believes an expansion in the number of airlines operating in Ghana could create more opportunities for people seeking to enter the industry.She also expressed hope that plans to establish a new national airline and revive Ghana Airways would create additional employment opportunities for young professionals.Retired Flight Lieutenant Kelly Yemoh Quarshie said the Take Off Experience provides an important platform for young people seeking answers about career opportunities in aviation.However, he argued that individual initiatives must be supported by a broader national effort to develop the skills and personnel required by the sector.He expressed concern about what he described as inadequate structured training opportunities for several aviation professions, including pilots, air traffic controllers, cabin crew and ticketing personnel.“We don’t have any national programme to train professionals in the aviation space, be it pilots, air traffic controllers, cabin crew or ticketing personnel. We are not training enough,” he said.His comments highlight the need for a more coordinated approach to aviation education, professional development and career planning.While initiatives such as the Take Off Experience seek to help young people understand the available career paths, stakeholders say sustained investment in training and the creation of more employment opportunities will be important to developing Ghana’s aviation workforce.