A TWENTY-seven-year-old pilot who graduated right when the world was shutting down due to a global pandemic has taken to the skies in his 'dream job' as a British Airways First Officer.

Michael Ashworth earned a first-class honours degree in Air Transport with Commercial Pilot Training from Buckinghamshire New University in 2019, just months before Covid-19 brought the aviation industry to a sudden halt.

Despite the promising start, Mr Ashworth found himself unable to pursue his ambition after years of study and significant investment in his training.

He said: "I had my licence to fly passenger jets, but now there was no industry and no jobs.

"I just went nuts not being able to do anything; that’s when I started to work part-time for Aldi."

Grounded by the pandemic, Mr Ashworth faced what he described as 'low periods', feeling he had sacrificed so much only to end up working in a supermarket instead of cruising at 35,000 feet.

Determined not to give up, he leaned on his degree and returned to aviation through teaching, helping train future pilots at the university.

That decision proved to be a turning point.

Mr Ashworth said: "Teaching changed my perspective.

"I built so many skills.

"Whether I’m managing the flight deck or speaking on the PA to customers, the confidence I built in the classroom at BNU is now a daily asset."

While organising a careers event for students, Mr Ashworth met a recruiter from Wizz Air.

This led to his first job as a commercial pilot as the aviation industry began to recover.

His childhood dream, however, was to fly for British Airways.

He said: "Everyone I came across during my childhood knew I wanted to do this.

"When they asked who I wanted to work for, it was always British Airways.

"Now, I get to fly across my old hometown, nearly every day, where I used to look out of my bedroom window and wonder if I could ever get there. It’s amazing to do something I always aspired to do, fulfilling a family legacy started all those years ago."

His passion for aviation runs deep through his family, especially on his maternal side.

Mr Ashworth said: "My grandad on my mother’s side, Peter Evans, had a passion for flying and his father used to drive buses too.

"When he was in his twenties, he desperately wanted to fly for the RAF.

"Because of his poor eyesight, he was never able to; he worked for the RAF on the ground instead."

Mr Ashworth hopes his journey will inspire others with similar ambitions.

He said: "Keep the faith and keep going.

"It’s a lot of sacrifice and there will be tough moments, but I can promise you—it’s worth it in the end."