When Zara was little, she was mesmerised by planes. On family holidays she’d press her face to the window, full of questions. “I remember going on holiday when I was four or five, asking my mum so many questions about the person who was flying the plane,” she says.
That early fascination grew as she did. At eight, she was researching what pilots do and dreaming about the day she might fly one herself.
But over time, that confidence faded. “People would laugh when I said I wanted to be a pilot. Being female and Muslim, it didn’t feel realistic.” she explains.
So, she stopped saying it out loud. When people asked about her future, she told them she wanted to go into finance. It seemed sensible – believable – and within reach.
Now in Year 13, Zara’s careers teacher had the opportunity to invite her and some classmates to visit Gatwick Airport as part of Inspiring the Future’s aviation programme.
“When I found out I was going, I was ecstatic, over the moon and couldn’t sleep the night before,” she says.
The day opened her eyes. Meeting volunteers working across aviation made everything feel real – and possible.
“YouTube videos can go to a certain level, but in-person, getting my infinite amount of questions answered, was an amazing opportunity,” she says. “There’s only so much you can research – when you don’t know things, you can’t research them!”
The visit reignited something she thought she’d lost.
“The event helped to solidify my understanding of the aviation world and determine my passion for it and my love for it,” she says. “It helped me see how broad it is. How inviting the aviation sector is – not just to a certain amount of people, but to everyone. It’s diverse. It’s accepting. It’s welcoming. It’s friendly. And it’s not limiting at all.”
Now, Zara says she finally feels ready to believe in herself again. “I’ve gathered the courage to say my dream out loud again and to actually believe in myself and believe I can do it.”
She smiles as she reflects on what that day meant to her.
“Children often have dreams of becoming astronauts, but until they meet one, they can never really be sure they exist and that they could really become one. I got to see my dream job and now I truly believe I can become it.”
Teacher update:
The excitement is carrying straight into the weekend, as Zara and Tashfiah head to Leicester for a gliding experience.
It feels like a natural next step after our work with Inspiring the Future, especially following the aviation event they attended at Aviation House in Gatwick Airport. Those sessions haven’t just inspired the young people, they’ve ignited their own passion too, proving that the sky really is the limit.