Joanne Davies is the woman in charge of Aerozone, the new centre at Stansted Airport, designed to encourage young people into Britain’s booming aviation industry. 
Joanne, the airport’s education co-ordinator, says: “The Aerozone can be a catalyst to inspire and encourage children to consider a career in the industry when they leave full-time education.” 
Activities will focus on the Stem subjects – science, technology, engineering and maths – as related to aviation. 
The education centre will give  schools, colleges and community groups a taster of airport life and an insight into the variety of careers on offer across the site.   
Joanne says: “This key Essex facility is designed to boost talent and help address the national shortfall in children taking up the Stem subjects. 
“The aviation industry is an exciting and fast-changing world, which offers great prospects for the future. Those working in it will find themselves at the forefront of technology and international development. 
“Because we are based at a busy international airport, students will get the opportunity to see that world in action outside the window. Aerozone contains a viewing area that will have panoramic views across the airfield.” 
The £500,000 Aerozone, due to open in the spring, will also offer displays and audio-visual experiences to evoke the world of aviation. 
Joanne said: “First and foremost we want the youngsters to have fun and a great day out. They will see how London’s third busiest airport works and what airport life is all about. 
“More than 10,500 people work at Stansted, so it’s a massive operation and involves hundreds of engineers and technicians all working behind the scenes. 
“Most airport users never get to see that world, but visitors to Aerozone will be able to get up close. Our aim is to bring these job roles to life to inspire and encourage young people. 
“The centre will feature a large variety of interactive hands-on exhibits and audio visual experiences to show how hundreds of planes take off and land and the thousands of passengers travel through the airport safely every day. “ 
Exhibits will include photos and artefacts from every stage of Stansted’s history, starting with its role as a Second World War American airbase. 
Joanne says: “Segments of modern airliners will sit aside bombers that flew from Stansted into combat in Europe between 1942 and 1945.
“Youngsters will get the chance to wear uniforms, and there will be a scale model of the airport, which is currently being designed and built by the airport’s apprentices as part of their course work.” 
Those already working in the aviation industry are encouraged to participate in the Aerozone experience. 
Joanne adds: “We are calling on all our colleagues, including security officers, fire fighters and operations staff, to get involved and to volunteer at the centre when it opens.”