It has been a particularly busy few weeks for the ASG team, with our people attending and supporting IASA, AvCon and Pilot Careers Live — three very different events, but all with one important thing in common: bringing people together.
As an aviation training organisation, much of what we do happens in classrooms, online learning environments and specialist training programmes. But some of the most valuable conversations in aviation still happen face-to-face.
Over a busy period in the Irish aviation calendar, the ASG team has had the opportunity to meet students considering their first steps into the industry, aspiring professional pilots, experienced aviation professionals, educators, employers and representatives from organisations across the wider aviation community.
For us, supporting and attending events such as these is about considerably more than simply exhibiting ASG. It is about being part of the aviation community we work in.
Connecting students and industry through IASA
ASG has been proud to support the Irish Aviation Students’ Association (IASA) and its work connecting students with the aviation industry.
Founded to help bridge the gap between students and aviation professionals, IASA creates opportunities for aspiring aviation professionals to meet people already working across the sector, learn about different career pathways and begin building the professional networks that may support them throughout their careers. Irish Aviation Students’ Association
That mission strongly aligns with ASG’s own philosophy.
There is an enormous difference between reading about an aviation career and having the opportunity to speak directly with someone who actually performs that role. A short conversation with a pilot, air traffic controller, engineer, training provider or industry representative can sometimes provide clarity that hours of online research cannot.
For the ASG team, IASA events are also an opportunity to listen.
The questions being asked by today’s students give us a valuable insight into the challenges facing people entering aviation — from understanding training pathways and financing to choosing between different career options and knowing what employers will ultimately expect from them.
Proud to support AvCon at Casement Aerodrome
The next stop for the ASG team was AvCon at Casement Aerodrome, Baldonnel, where ASG was proud to support the event as a stage sponsor.
AvCon has developed an ambitious model built around bringing education, industry and government together, with students able to meet professionals from aviation, aerospace, engineering, defence, technology and other related sectors. The 2026 event takes place at Casement Aerodrome and includes industry speakers, aircraft and interactive experiences alongside direct opportunities for students to engage with organisations. AvCon
That opportunity for young people to experience aviation at close quarters is enormously valuable.
Not every student arriving at an event like AvCon already knows that they want to become a pilot, engineer, controller or aviation professional — and that is precisely the point.
Sometimes the most important outcome from an aviation event is simply allowing someone to discover a career they had never previously considered.
For ASG, being able to contribute to that environment and support an event dedicated to inspiring the next generation of aviation and aerospace professionals is something we are particularly proud of.
Talking directly to future pilots at Pilot Careers Live
The busy period continued with Pilot Careers Live Ireland at The Convention Centre Dublin, an event focused specifically on helping people understand the pathway towards a professional flying career.
Pilot Careers Live brings airlines, flight training organisations, training professionals and aspiring pilots together in one location, giving attendees the opportunity to ask questions about training routes, selection, costs, qualifications and career prospects. Pilot Careers Live
For ASG, these conversations are especially important.
ATPL theoretical knowledge training is a significant step in a professional pilot’s journey, and prospective students naturally arrive with plenty of questions.
Some want to understand the difference between integrated and modular training. Others want to know how ATPL theory fits around employment, university or flight training. Some are already flying and simply want to understand what comes next.
Being able to have those conversations directly — without a sales pitch and without pretending there is one route that suits everybody — is an important part of how we believe aviation training organisations should engage with future students.
The conversations between the stands matter too
While events are naturally designed around exhibitors, presentations and organised activities, some of their greatest value comes from what happens in between.
A conversation over coffee.
A student introducing themselves to an airline representative.
Two organisations discovering that they are working on similar problems.
An instructor meeting someone they taught several years earlier who is now flying professionally.
A young person asking a question they may have been nervous to ask online.
Those connections are difficult to quantify, but they are one of the reasons face-to-face aviation events remain so important!
ASG Founder Diarmuid O’Riordan said:
“Aviation is fundamentally a people industry. Technology has transformed how we teach, communicate and work, but there is still enormous value in putting students, training organisations, airlines and industry professionals in the same room and simply allowing conversations to happen.”
He continued:
“Over these few weeks we have spoken with people at completely different stages of their aviation journey — from students who are only beginning to explore what might be possible, through to experienced professionals who have worked in the industry for decades. That exchange is incredibly valuable for us as a training organisation.”
Supporting the wider aviation community
ASG’s participation in IASA, AvCon and Pilot Careers Live also reflects a broader commitment to supporting the aviation community beyond the delivery of individual training courses.
The future workforce of aviation will depend upon attracting talented people, helping them understand the opportunities available to them and creating realistic pathways into the industry.
Events such as these provide an important bridge between education, training and employment.
They allow aspiring professionals to see the breadth of the industry while giving established organisations an opportunity to better understand the expectations, concerns and ambitions of the next generation.
A busy few weeks — and plenty of conversations
Three events, three different audiences and a lot of conversations.
Our sincere thanks go to the teams behind IASA, AvCon and Pilot Careers Live, and particularly to the volunteers, organisers, speakers, exhibitors and industry partners who put so much work into creating opportunities for people to connect.
Most importantly, thank you to everyone who came over to meet the ASG team, asked a question, shared their own aviation story or simply stopped for a chat.
For an organisation built around aviation education, there are few things more encouraging than meeting the people who will form the next generation of our industry.
We look forward to seeing many of you again soon.
ASG is an EASA Approved Training Organisation providing aviation training and consultancy services to airlines, government organisations, aviation professionals and student pilots.
