The aerospace industry has long been a symbol of innovation and technological progress, yet it faces a persistent talent acquisition challenge: a lack of diversity.
The sector is projected to surpass the national average of employment growth at 6%, but despite the industry’s expansion, it faces significant challenges in attracting and retaining talent. A 2024 Deloitte survey revealed that over 67% of aerospace and defense companies identified workforce attraction and retention as primary business challenges. Historically dominated by a homogenous workforce, the industry has seen women and minorities significantly underrepresented—women comprise just 24% of the aerospace workforce, according to a 2022 report by the Aerospace Industries Association.
This imbalance reflects missed opportunities and limits the sector’s ability to address complex global challenges. In this sense, embracing diversity is more than a moral obligation; it is a strategic advantage.
Companies can foster creativity, enhance problem-solving, and boost overall performance by attracting underrepresented talent. Read on to explore actionable strategies to build a more inclusive aerospace sector.
Strategies for Attracting Underrepresented Talent
1. Inclusive Recruitment Practices
The first step towards achieving diversity in aerospace is implementing inclusive recruitment practices. Blind recruitment processes can minimize unconscious bias, ensuring that candidates are evaluated based on their skills and potential rather than preconceived notions.
Partnering with organizations and educational institutions that focus on underrepresented groups in STEM fields can also broaden the talent pool.
Here are a few organizations that we recommend looking into:
- I-Stem: I-Stem emphasizes greater access to educational and employment opportunities in STEM for people with disabilities. Initiatives include recruitment, fellowship, mentorship, technical training, and an annual conference. Corporate sponsors include Microsoft, aisea, and Morgan Stanley.
- Scientista: Scientista was founded at Harvard in 2011 by two sisters who were studying biology and unsatisfied with the lack of resources for women on campus. The organization uniquely targets pre-professional women in science, technology, engineering, math, and medicine (STEMM).
- National Society of Black Engineers (NBSE): The National Society of Black Engineers is a non-profit that supports Black professionals, college (including graduate students), and pre-college (grades 3-12) students in engineering and technology fields. Founded in 1975 at Purdue University, NSBE comprises more than 500 chapters in six geographic regions. Members of NSBE can expect access to a network of diverse engineers and scientists, scholarships, job placements, access to career fairs, and more.
2. Mentorship and Sponsorship Programs
Mentorship and sponsorship programs are crucial for nurturing underrepresented talent in aerospace. Many individuals from underrepresented backgrounds grow up without exposure to professionals in the aerospace industry, making it difficult to envision themselves in such roles.
Establishing mentorship programs that connect underrepresented employees with industry leaders can provide the guidance and encouragement needed to bridge this gap, helping them navigate career pathways that may otherwise seem inaccessible.
Sponsorship, where senior leaders actively advocate for the career advancement of diverse talent, can further enhance opportunities and open doors that systemic barriers often keep closed.
3. Diversity-Focused Career Fairs
Diversity-focused career fairs are essential for attracting underrepresented talent in aerospace and other STEM fields. These events create dedicated spaces for companies to engage directly with diverse job seekers, offering opportunities to showcase their commitment to inclusivity and connect with candidates from various backgrounds. For the aerospace sector, where women and minorities have historically been underrepresented, these fairs provide a critical avenue for breaking down barriers and expanding access to opportunities.
TalentAlly partners with Expo Experts, a leader in STEM-focused career events, to help aerospace and related industries connect with skilled, diverse professionals in technology, engineering, and security clearance career fairs.
4. Cultural Competency Training
Creating an inclusive workplace culture is essential for retaining diverse talent in niche fields like aerospace. When employees feel understood, respected, and free to express their ideas, they are likelier to remain with the organization and contribute to its success.
Cultural competency training helps foster this environment by teaching team members to communicate effectively across cultural differences, recognize and address unconscious biases, and appreciate varied perspectives. Encouraging open dialogues about diversity and inclusion further nurtures an atmosphere where all employees feel valued.
Free Cultural Competency Training Resources:
- Coursera: Offers free access to audit many courses, such as “Intercultural Communication” or “Diversity and Inclusion in the Workplace.”
- edX: Provides free auditing options for courses on cross-cultural management and global competence.
- National Center for Cultural Competence (NCCC): Hosts various free online resources and toolkits designed to build cultural and linguistic competence in organizations.
5. Data-Driven Diversity Goals
Use the power of data to attract and retain diverse candidates in the aerospace industry. By systematically collecting and analyzing metrics on candidate demographics, application rates, interview progression, and hiring outcomes, you can pinpoint trends and identify areas needing improvement. For instance, your data might show that certain groups face hurdles in advancing beyond the initial interview stage.
With these insights, organizations can refine job postings, adjust interview protocols, or provide targeted support to ensure a fair and inclusive process. A data-driven approach fosters more equitable hiring practices and strengthens overall workforce performance by bringing varied perspectives into aerospace projects. To learn more about tracking the right recruitment metrics, check out our blog post, “Recruitment Metrics: Tracking KPIs in Recruitment.”
Building an Innovative Future Through Inclusivity
The aerospace industry’s enduring legacy of innovation hinges on its ability to draw from the broadest possible talent pool. Organizations can unlock the full potential of underrepresented talent by prioritizing inclusivity at every stage—from recruitment and mentorship to workplace culture and data-driven goals. Implementing these strategies helps close the diversity gap and positions aerospace companies to tackle complex challenges with fresh, varied perspectives. Ultimately, embracing diversity is more than just a social good—it’s a strategic imperative that drives creativity, fosters collaboration, and propels the entire industry to greater heights.
