This article explores how social media creators like Mohammad Taher (“The Airport Guy”) are reshaping how young people discover aviation and airport careers — and what this means for the future airport workforce. Drawing on his experience engaging young audiences, Taher shared a series of practical approaches he uses to spark interest in aviation and connect the next generation with airport careers.
1. Follow your curiosity.
“Ever since I was a kid, I wanted to know how on earth airplanes take off. How? I had to find out.” That obsession led him from childhood wonder to an aerospace engineering degree — and eventually to a career dedicated to showing others what happens behind the scenes at airports.
2. Help others find their wow moment.
“My brother-in-law got me a work-experience day at a company that manufactures aircraft. I experienced that and thought, wow, this is amazing. That one day changed my life.”
Now, Taher devotes his time to helping young people feel that same jolt. “My work is about recreating that whoa, this is cool moment — and doing it at scale.”
3. Don’t sell aviation — show that it fits anyone.
He doesn’t pitch the industry. He reveals incredibly fascinating parts of it.
“If a young person tells me what they love, I show them where it lives in aviation. Whatever their passion is, there’s a place for it here. My job is to show them that.”
4. People skills are everything.
“Our industry runs in relationships. It’s all about people skills — how you connect, how you communicate, and the impression you leave when you’re not in the room.”
5. Never underestimate the basics.
He still carries Dale Carnegie’s book on human nature. “How can a book written almost a hundred years ago still be so valuable? Because we’re all just human beings who want to feel heard, respected, and loved.”
6. Go where the people already are.
Instead of waiting for Gen Z to find aviation, Taher takes aviation to them. “We need to meet them where they are,” he says.
Think of fishing: You can go out into the ocean and try to find individual fish—or you can throw food into the water, and they will come to you.
“Young people are already on social media. I create content to feed them and gather them in one place. That means TikTok. Instagram. YouTube. Even Roblox (Editorial note – Roblox is an online game platform where users can design, play, and share virtual worlds — a favourite among players aged 8 to 18.)
“We’re building a game on Roblox where young people can experience aviation careers in a metaverse and then we connect them into real-world opportunities.”
Once they are hooked, he asks: “Who wants to go behind the scenes at an airport? Who wants to learn? Who wants to train?”
ACI World courses can help get their foot in the door. “Our industry is addictive. Once they start, they stay. Give a kid one taste of aviation and, he says, “leave the rest to them. They’ll figure it out.”
7. Let them grow.
People don’t leave the industry because they lose interest — they leave when it stops giving them room to grow.
“People leave when it’s not serving them,” Taher says. “Aviation is like an open buffet — everything’s on offer. Let them try different things. Don’t pigeonhole them.”
Give them space to explore, and they’ll stay. “Flexibility keeps talent. Control kills it.”
8. The underrated heroes: front-line staff.
“The person at the baggage desk might earn minimum wage, but every interaction can make or break someone’s trip — honeymoon, funeral, family reunion. That job is hard.”
9. The airport of 2050 will be a bus stop.
“I usually arrive at London Heathrow 45 minutes before my flight – never three hours. That’s where we’re headed.” Faster screening, seamless boarding, vertiports linking eVTOLs straight from long-haul gates. “You’ll walk in, face scan, doors open, and you’re on the flight. No passport, no baggage drop, no wasted time.”
10. Ship your luggage and go.
He swears by the idea. “My friend ships his bags to the hotel by a post carrier. Shows up — bags already there. Airlines can do that next.”
11. The next frontier is above your head.
Behind him sits a miniature Joby aircraft from California. “Urban air mobility — vertiports, eVTOLs — that’s what excites me most. It’ll turn airports into pure transit hubs. That’s the future.”
Airports connect the world, but people keep it moving.
Key takeaways
- Social media is reshaping how young people discover aviation and airport careers
- Airports and aviation offer pathways for a wide range of skills and interests
- Early exposure and flexibility are critical to retaining future aviation talent
- Digital platforms can connect curiosity to real-world training and jobs
The views expressed in this article are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the official positions of ACI World.
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