UK aerospace industry boosted by new scheme

A new scheme to keep the UK at the forefront of the global aerospace industry has recruited its first intake of students, Business Minister Michael Fallon announced today.

One hundred bursaries have been awarded to employees and graduates to study Masters (MSc) level degrees in aerospace engineering. This will help the sector develop the high-level skills it needs to compete globally.

Industry and government have each committed £3 million over three years to help recruit 500 talented people who want to build careers in aerospace, but need financial backing to study at Masters level. The scheme will cover the cost of tuition fees up to a maximum of £9,500.

Mr Fallon made the announcements during a visit to Airbus in Broughton, Flintshire, where he met local apprentices who are helping to manufacture the wings for the new A350 XWB fleet of aircraft, which will go into operation from 2014.

Airbus opened the £400m plant in 2011, securing 6,000 jobs, to manufacture the carbon-fibre wings. It is the UK’s largest single manufacturing site.

The Minister also announced that the Headquarters of the Aerospace Technology Institute (ATI) will be based at Cranfield Technology Park in the East of England.

He said: “The aerospace Masters programme is an excellent example of government and industry working together to keep the UK competitive as it will help us meet the urgent demand for engineers in this country.

“The R&D projects funded under the programme will be carried out at a range of locations across the country so that the benefit our joint £2 billion investment with industry is spread across the breadth of the UK.”

Mark Stewart, Airbus in the UK General Manager and Human Resources Director said: “The UK has the second largest aerospace industry in the world but we face fierce competition from competitors across the world and it’s only by recruiting and training the best people from across all parts of society that we can ensure the UK stays at the forefront of the global aviation industry.”

The Minister’s visit came as the Technology Strategy Board published further details of the open call for up to £25 million of government funding he announced at the Paris Air Show in June.

This investment will finance collaborative research and technology projects that support the delivery of the Aerospace Industrial Strategy.

It will be open to all companies and research institutes, including those in the aerospace supply chain who will be invited to submit bids for a share of the fund. The £25 million will be match funded by the winning businesses, creating up to £50 million of total investment.

The call will be funded from £2 billion of joint government and industry investment committed to support the ATI, announced in the aerospace industrial strategy in March.