Airbus to expand UK workforce by 10 per cent in vote of confidence for aviation
Airbus, the world’s largest aircraft manufacturer, has announced plans to create another 1,100 jobs in the UK.
The plane maker currently employs 11,500 people in the UK — with a global total of 134,000 — across its commercial, defence and space and helicopters divisions, but now plans to increase its UK workforce by almost 10 per cent in the coming years.
An Oxford Economics survey found that Airbus contributed £7bn to the UK economy in 2022 and supported 79,000 British jobs in the aerospace and defence sectors.
John Harrison, Airbus’ UK chairman, said the findings prove Airbus is “good for jobs, good for growth, and good for the UK”.
“Our deep roots in the UK supply chain and investment across the four nations create long-term regional and local growth, ensuring our impact is felt at every level,” he added.
More than 400,000 people in the UK work in the two industries — aerospace and defence — but Airbus’ total UK workforce still remains slightly below pre-pandemic levels, even with the newly created jobs, according to a This Is Money report.
Before the pandemic, there were 14,000 Airbus staff members in the UK.
However, Airbus is still looking to invest in its workforce this year with the expansion of various engineers, graduates, and apprentices.
The year 2023 marks the “highest number of early careers new started to join Airbus in the UK in more than 10 years, with a total of 668 UK interns, apprentices and grads beginning their airbus journey this summer,” it added.