OVER 10 ACADEMIC PARTNERSHIPS SUPPORT RYANAIR’S DECADE OF GROWTH TO 300M PASSENGERS P.A.

Ryanair, Europe’s No.1 airline, today (Thurs, 3 Sept) highlighted its growing investment in Portugal’s future engineers and its leading role as a key aviation employer in Portugal with more than 10 academic partnerships and collaborations now in place with Portuguese universities, polytechnics, vocational schools and Part-147 training organisations. These partnerships form a key part in Ryanair’s strategy to recruit, train and develop the next generation of aircraft engineers in Portugal as the airline grows its fleet to 800 aircraft and 300 million passengers p.a. by 2034.

Ryanair’s Engineering teams in Portugal work closely with leading institutions including Universidade do Minho – School of Engineering, UBI – Universidade da Beira Interior, Instituto Piaget and IPCA – Instituto Politécnico do Cávado e do Ave, among others, providing students with opportunities within a real airline engineering environment.

Since launching its first Portuguese academic partnership in 2024, Ryanair has significantly expanded its education network, and has already welcomed 38 Engineering interns in Portugal so far in 2026. 

Unlike many airlines who complain about engineering shortages, Ryanair is actively investing in developing future talent. These partnerships provide students with practical experience on one of Europe’s youngest and most efficient aircraft fleets while creating a direct pathway into long-term careers within Ryanair Engineering.

Ryanair continues to recruit for Engineering roles in Portugal, including B1 Engineers, Mechanics and Sheet Metal Workers, with further details available at careers.ryanair.com.

Ryanair’s COO, Neal McMahon said:

“Ryanair is proud to be playing a leading role in developing Portugal’s next generation of aircraft engineers. As we grow to 800 aircraft and 300 million passengers annually, we will have opportunities for highly paid and highly skilled engineering jobs. Through our partnerships with over 10 universities, polytechnics, vocational schools and Part-147 organisations, we are giving students real, hands-on experience in Ryanair’s aircraft maintenance environment – not just classroom theory.

Portugal has fantastic engineering talent and, rather than waiting for qualified engineers to appear, Ryanair is investing directly in developing them through partnerships with universities, polytechnics, vocational schools and Part-147 training organisations across the country.

These partnerships are not box-ticking exercises – they are a direct pipeline into high-quality aviation careers with Europe’s No.1 airline. In 2026 alone, Ryanair has welcomed 38 Engineering interns in Portugal, many of which are based in Porto where Ryanair continues to grow its Engineering operation.

As part of our ‘Decade of Growth’ plan to expand to 800 aircraft, Ryanair continues to grow its Engineering footprint. We are committed to developing future talent from an early stage, rather than simply waiting for established professionals to become available in the market, and we currently have opportunities for B1 Engineers, Mechanics and Sheet Metal Workers. We look forward to welcoming even more ambitious Portuguese talent to Ryanair Engineering and continuing to strengthen our position as a key employer in Portugal’s aviation sector.”