Ryanair invests in training in Italy
Ryanair not only continues to strengthen its presence in Italy with 106 aircraft based, 32 airports and 20 bases but also invests in the training of those behind flight safety: maintenance technicians and qualified mechanics. Professionalism that is increasingly sought after and necessary, which will also be increasingly important for the coming years: hence the need to create and grow a training academy.
Just today, Eddie Wilson, CEO of Ryanair DAC, visited the Aircraft Engineering Academy in Azzano San Paolo in the province of Bergamo, together with the President of the Calabria Region Roberto Occhiuto, the President of SACBO Giovanni Sanga and the CEO of SEAS Alessandro Cianciaruso.
The Academy, which is the main training center for aeronautical engineering in Italy, trains new specialized technicians for the aeronautical maintenance sector every year.
In Azzano San Paolo, the Academy is developed in a modern structure of 2,000 square meters equipped with technological laboratories and four executive aircraft for practical training, and inaugurated the 2025-2026 academic year with over 100 new students.
The average age of students is under 30 years old and no compulsory studies or qualifications are required to get started. For maintenance technicians, training involves 2 years of theory and 2 years of practice, while for qualified mechanics, 3 months in the Academy are required.
In total, more than 250 students are trained in rotation at the Academy, of which 50 come from Calabria: half are completing the courses, while the others are doing their internship at the Ryanair hangar in Bergamo in view of the opening of the new hangars in Lamezia Terme.
The initiative is part of Ryanair's expansion plan in Calabria, made possible by the abolition of the municipal surcharge wanted by President Occhiuto. The company will invest €15 million to build the first two-bay hangar in Southern Italy, with a total area of 8,100 square meters dedicated to line and base maintenance activities. At full capacity, the new plant will generate 300 new jobs, alongside the five hangars already operational in Bergamo.
"It was a real pleasure to meet the students involved in the training program which, once completed, will lead them to play a key role in the activities that will be carried out in the two new Ryanair hangars in Lamezia. The Aircraft Engineering Academy is a centre of excellence in Italy, which demonstrates the central role of Bergamo and Lombardy in the development of aviation and also represents a concrete opportunity for economic growth and job creation in Southern Italy, particularly in Calabria, increasing Ryanair's maintenance capacity and stimulating economic and employment growth".
Giovanni Sanga, President of SACBO, highlighted how training is the real engine of development for the aeronautical sector, specifying that the Academy of Azzano San Paolo is the demonstration that Milan Bergamo Airport can be a center of excellence not only for flights, but also for professional growth. And, moreover, that the investment in training strengthens Ryanair's link with Bergamo and with the entire Lombard aeronautical ecosystem.
The President of the Calabria Region, Roberto Occhiuto, underlined the positive impact of the initiative: in recent years, Calabria has experienced unprecedented growth in air traffic and tourism and the collaboration with Ryanair has been decisive in achieving these results. The two new hangars in Lamezia are not only an industrial investment, but a key piece of the region's relaunch strategy: 300 new jobs and a strengthening of Calabria's airport system at an international level.
As specified by Alessandro Cianciaruso, CEO of SEAS, it is a matter of building real opportunities for young technicians and uniting the North and South of the country through aeronautical training: the Academy is an Italian reality of excellence that looks to the future, supporting the growth of aviation in Italy and Europe.
With the expansion in Lamezia Terme and the continuous investment in training, Ryanair consolidates its strategic presence in Italy (one of the group's key markets at European level), creating an operational and training bridge between Lombardy and Calabria. From Bergamo, the company operates flights to the destinations of Lamezia Terme and Crotone (even during the winter).
