Aerospace sector

Aerospace is one of the high GVA manufacturing sectors with a turnover of £6.3billion

 90 workplaces in the automotive sector in the northwest

 800 companies involved in the aerospace supply chain

 60,000 people employed in the aerospace cluster

 Increased demand for Level 3,4,5, craft, technician and professional engineers.

 Need for Leaders and Managers to be qualified to global standards

 75% have level 2 qualification, 55% have Level 3 and above.

 Only 5% of Aerospace employees have no qualifications

 Greater need for future workforce to be qualified at Level 3 and above

 Lack of critical skills in the newer high-technology areas

 Need for a more highly skilled to address the innovation and emerging technological

challenges

 Science & engineering graduates will play an increasingly important role in the aerospace

industry over the next 5 years –percentage to increase from 30% to 50%

 The image of the sector has a negative impact on recruiting the right people

The sector is represented by Northwest Automotive Alliance (NAA)

.

Sector Skills Council - SEMTA

National Skills Academy - NSAM (National Skills Academy for Manufacturing)

Launched January 2007. Hub/Spoke Model

NW spoke based in Preston as from June 2007.

Cove - Macclesfield CFE, ECAT (provision at Level 2 & 3 for Maintenance

repair Operatives )

Key Occupations

 Metal Working Production and Maintenance fitters

 Metal Machine Setters / Setter Operators

 Production Works and Maintenance Managers

 Mechanical Engineers

 Software Professionals

 Design and Development Engineers

 Engineering technicians

 Electronics Engineer

 Routine Inspectors / Testers

 Science and Engineering Technicians

 Engineering professionals