The dark cloud hovering over MG Rover following the demise of the UK car maker could have a silver lining – some staff could solve an aerospace skills shortage
The impact of UK car manufacturer MG Rover's collapse is being eased by aerospace industry efforts to redeploy automotive engineers in aircraft production.
More than 5,000 people were made redundant at Rover's Longbridge plant in Birmingham, West Midlands, at the end of April, including many qualified engineers and skilled workers.
The collapse of one of the few remaining British car makers has created an opportunity within the aerospace industry to meet an engineering skills shortage.
Airbus has been one of the first companies to capitalise by visiting Longbridge, seeking to recruit 100 extra manufacturing engineers among 300 existing vacancies for its sites in Filton, Bristol and Broughton, North Wales.
Rolls-Royce is also processing more than 100 applications from Rover workers.
Airbus UK managing director Iain Gray says: "We are all very saddened at what has happened at Rover. These highly skilled car workers deserve the opportunity to apply their skills for the benefit of their families and the UK economy as a whole."
Airbus UK's 13,000 workforce is steadily rising, along with those at 400 UK supplier companies, following the commercial launch of the A350 – which should create a further 10,800 UK aerospace jobs.
Midlands Aerospace Alliance chief executive Dr Andrew Mair says: "There is latent demand for Rover skills in the Midlands, particularly with the aerospace industry in an up-cycle.
"That Airbus is taking people on is terrific, but it should be part of a broader process in which aerospace opportunities are opened up by other companies in the supply chain."
The Rover Task Force (RTF) has been set up to help employees and suppliers affected by the crisis at the motor manufacturer, but the UK aerospace industry has been building a redeployment strategy since the 11 September attacks.
The East Midlands Development Agency set up the Rolls-Royce Task Force in 2001, which helped retrain and place 400 people. This prompted the establishment of the pilot Midlands Engineering Industry Redeployment Group (MEIRG) and the East Midlands Regional Hotspot Task Force (EMHTF).
MEIRG is supplying specialised redeployment services to help match skilled engineers with recruiting companies, while also seeking graduate engineers.
Employers who take on Rover staff will have free training provided by the UK's Learning and Skills Council, with the added incentive of free training for another existing employee.
MEIRG chairman and EMHTF member Phil Derges adds: "We know there are people in the community with engineering skills to fill the vacancies currently available, but we are not getting them."
MEIRG (www.meirg.org.uk) advertises engineering vacancies and skilled workers through a redeployment database. The RTF offers a range of support services through its own website, a hotline and on-going jobs fairs.
* flight.workingweek@rbi.co.uk
Source: Flight International
