Reach for the sky

The

’s aerospace industry has enjoyed something of a recruitment renaissance over the last few years, helped by trends in the military and civil sectors.

Having supported more than 250,000 jobs in 1980, employment levels fell sharply as demand for military aircraft waned at the end of the Cold War.

In recent years, however, the picture has changed again. Conflict in the

has renewed demand for military aircraft, while a need for cleaner, more efficient and quieter civil aircraft has led to more orders for models based on the latest engine and airframe designs.

Because of the demand to cut the cost and carbon emissions of air travel, aircraft manufacturers are having to cut development costs and improve the efficiency of their aircraft.

As a result, with production slots for most of Boeing’s models already largely filled for the next three years and a healthy backlog for several Airbus models, the aerospace industry and its suppliers are doing well.