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AVIATION

Cornwall has always been known for its tin mines, its pasties and itsfantastic coastline, but now it hopes to be famous for something evenmore important…its aerohub.

Perched on Cornwall’s Atlantic cliffs, Newquay has become renowned forits thriving tourism industry and surf capital status. This summer, however,it was Newquay’s aerospace sector that was making waves in the countywhen Resource Group launched its latest apprenticeship scheme to establisha new aviation skills base in Cornwall.

In May, a dozen Resource Group apprentices began their new careers atNewquay Cornwall Airport, becoming the first aeronautical engineeringapprentices to be trained in conjunction with the airport.

To deliver the co-ordinated employment and training programme,Resource Group is working with Lufthansa Resource Technical Training(LRTT), its joint venture company with Lufthansa Technical Training.

LRTT is an EASA Part 147-approved maintenance training organisationand is delivering and managing the training phase of the programme.

The scheme will result in the apprentices receiving globally-recognisedindustry qualifications – after completing the two-year programme they willbe qualified EASA Part 66 Category A, which will allow them to certify linemaintenance tasks on commercial aircraft.

Unusually for a manpower provider, Resource Group is acting asApprentice Training Association (ATA) throughout the programme,employing the apprentices itself, rather than them beingemployed by an operator, MRO or OEM directly.

While millions tune in to TV to watch Sir AlanSugar select a protégé, in the real world it is acoalition of a human resource business, atraining school and a regional airport that istelling young people from the West Country“You’re hired”. Their task? To help close the skillsgap that is threatening the UK’s aviation future.

Kelly Green reports.

Sweeterthan Sugar

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Fiona Turner, business development co-ordinator at Resource Group, explained that theapprenticeship scheme is designed to supportthe expansion of Cornwall’s skills base.

“Cornwall is an area that deserves a boost. Thedecline of traditional industries and the generaleconomic downturn means opportunities for theyoung to find a career in Cornwall are limited.This scheme is part and parcel of local jobs forlocal people and will help the burgeoning aviationindustry in the county,” she said.

Ian Fitzpatrick, general and accountablemanager at LRTT, who had the idea to establisha skills base from the Cornwall area in order tosupport the airport’s ambition to attract MRObusinesses, facilitated the scheme.

“I pointed out that you don’t have to have anaviation training centre at Newquay CornwallAirport in order to have an apprenticeship; wecan do this in advance of, perhaps, an eventualaviation training centre, but let’s start to create abase,” he explained.

“At the airport at the moment there aren’t bigMROs to take on these 12 apprentices. While wehope to get some of them placed at Newquaywith the various smaller operators there, themajority will go out to Resource Group clientsthroughout the UK, or mainland Europe.

“The fact is, we’re creating a core of Cornishpeople with the necessary aviation skills so that ifthe opportunities do then occur at Newquay,they’ll go back. That’s the concept we’re tryingto achieve here and we’re hoping to make it ayear-on-year thing.”

Al Titterington, managing director ofNewquay Cornwall Airport, believes that thescheme will become vital in underpinning theairport’s future successes. “It has given Cornishpeople the opportunity to enter the aerospaceindustry where they previously wouldn’t havebeen able to,” he said.

“The recent announcement of the Newquayaerohub as an Enterprise Zone, which is focusedon the development of aerospace activity at theairport, will make the supply of qualified andskilled labour very important and theapprenticeship scheme even more so.”

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With facilities already set up at LRTT’s trainingcentre at Cotswold Airport in Gloucestershire,the difficulty lay in making it financially viablefor the apprentices to get out of Cornwall tocomplete their training. But collaborative effortbetween various organisations has allowed thisto happen.

The apprenticeship is being part-fundedthrough Semta - the sector skills council forscience, engineering and manufacturingtechnologies, and the Cornwall and Isles ofScilly ESF Convergence Programme – the newEuropean economic regeneration programmefor Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly running until2013.

Newquay for Excellence Training (NFET) isproviding the local link between the LRTT andthe ESF Convergence Programme, which is

investing in activities that will have a long-termimpact on the economy of Cornwall.

“This exciting scheme increases the range ofskills training on offer in Cornwall anddemonstrates the varied potential NewquayCornwall Airport has to contribute tostrengthening our economy,” said CarleenKelemen, director of the Convergencepartnership office for Cornwall and the Isles ofScilly.

Due to this extra funding, the apprenticeshipwas only open to residents of Cornwall yetResource Group had no difficulty getting localyoung people interested in the scheme, receivingalmost 200 applications.

Resource Group says apprenticeship schemesare vitally important to fill the shortage of youngpeople coming through to the UK aerospacesector.

“The International Civil AviationOrganisation (ICAO) feels that there will be aserious shortage of skilled staff in the near futureand there was little training capacity to preventthis. Obviously training people at an early stagein their career leads to an increase in the futureskill base,” said Turner.

Following an initial 23 days’ training on site atNewquay Cornwall Airport, the apprentices arecurrently in the second phase of the scheme –eight months at LRTT’s training centre atCotswold Airport, which has received a bigthumbs up from the apprentices. ApprenticeAshley Sturt said, “Moving to the Cotswolds hasbeen an exciting experience, and we all feel very

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APPRENTICES

lucky with the opportunity we have been given.” The training phase will be followed by 16

months vocational work experience co-ordinated by Resource Group. “I think I speakfor everyone when I say that we are really lookingforward to starting our work placements,wherever they may be,” said apprentice PeterJardine. “These 16 months away will help us towork towards a successful career in the aviationindustry and show what an asset Cornishapprentices are,” he added.

Fitzpatrick explained that it is the workexperience phase that is the most vital element forestablishing future apprenticeship schemes:“We’re already rolling this model out elsewhereand are currently planning to commence a courseat London’s Biggin Hill Airport in quarter two2012, once LRTT and Resource Group haveidentified up to 12 work placement opportunitiesthere. They will be employed by Resource Groupas well, so the model has already receivedenthusiasm at another regional airport.”

Fitzpatrick is hoping that the future will seeapprenticeship clusters being established at allairports across the UK. “We’ll be working withthem to try to establish a programme for eachone,” he enthused.

“As well as Biggin Hill, I’ve also been in touchwith Southend Airport in Essex because there’s abig expansion going on there. We see this as areal integral part of our business model – not justour business, but also the aviation business as awhole. The demographic time bomb is tickingloud and clear for the industry. If we don’t

supplement the industry with new starters, it willpush up costs for operators.”

While, arguably, the need to recruit youngpeople into the aviation industry is widelyrecognised, the financial burden of taking onapprentices often leads to reluctance to do so.

Neil Williams, training manager at LRTT,believes that there is an element of “bury yourhead in the sand” when it comes to filling theskills gap in the aviation industry. “Employersdon’t have a budget for apprenticeshipprogrammes,” he argued.

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“There is government money available for theright programmes but it still doesn’t seemenough to allow the employers to bring insignificant numbers of new entrants, especiallyfor smaller organisations. So there is aconundrum in how you fill that gap without themoney you need to take on new employees.

“The training part is easy. We can keepdrawing down funding for trainees but it’s notjust about the training; it’s about giving them acareer – a real opportunity to gain fullemployment post-training.”

It is by removing the financial burden forcompanies that Resource Group, together withLRTT, hopes to make a big difference.

“A lot of companies see apprentices as a burdenand that’s why we’ve developed this associationmodel in Resource Group, to remove some ofthat financial burden,” Fitzpatrick explained.

“Here at LRTT the apprentices can either bedirectly employed by the company and given tous to train, or they can be employed by the parentcompany, Resource Group. This ‘associationmodel’ takes the up-front employment pain awayfrom the eventual client.

“We acquire the money from the Governmentfor training and Resource Group employs thelearners throughout the two-year apprenticeshipperiod. Consequently, during the training phase,the client doesn’t actually pay anything, asResource Group covers the cost. At the end ofthe eight-month training period the apprenticegoes out to the client for a work placement.

“At the end of the two-year framework the clientcan either take them on as permanent staff, keepthem on as a fully qualified fitter on a contract basisfrom Resource Group, or they can hand them backto Resource Group for reallocation.”

Graham Chisnall, managing directoraerospace and operations at ADS, believesapprenticeship schemes are fundamental to thefuture of the British aviation industry. “As an ex-apprentice myself – I joined on a very goodscheme – I believe apprenticeships are hugelyimportant. We have a growing skills gap inaerospace, partly because of the huge growthwe’re seeing and partly because of retirement ofskilled engineers, so we have a growing needwithin the industry for both graduate andtechnician-level new intakes,” he said.

“Apprenticeships that equip the industry withthe high skills in all of the disciplines that werequire are fundamental to our future.” ■

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EVENTS

In November 2010, HM Queen Elizabeth II,accompanied by Foreign Secretary WilliamHague, made her first State visit to the United

Arab Emirates (UAE) in 31 years, underlining arenewed spirit of co-operation between the UAEand Britain’s Coalition Government.

As the British Government continues to investin forming tighter relationships with the Arabnation, now is the perfect time for Britishaerospace companies to build their relationshipsin the Gulf countries by attending the 12thedition of the Dubai Airshow, according to showorganisers F&E Aerospace.

“The UK has a very strong relationship with theUAE, going right back to the 1960s,” explainedAlison Weller, managing director of F&EAerospace. “This year the Government has madeit its mission to form much tighter relationshipswith the UAE, and hence the Queen came on avisit at the end of last year. So right now is theperfect time for British companies to attend theDubai Airshow as the UK is investing in itsrelationships out here in the Middle East.”

The Dubai Airshow, now in its 22nd year, will

take place on November 13-17 2011 at the DubaiAirport Expo. This year’s show falls two weeksbefore the UAE celebrates its 40th anniversary,and Weller said that the airshow will be used as aplatform to help celebrate and join in thecelebrations. “The Dubai Airshow will showcasewhat the UAE has achieved in aviation in the past40 years, but we’re also going to look ahead towhat the future holds for aviation in the MiddleEast,” she said.

With over 1,000 exhibitors from 50 countriesexpected, marking a 12% increase on the 2009edition, and more than 100 aircraft on the staticpark, show organisers are expecting 55,000 tradevisitors over the five days of the show.

“For anybody, but particularly for the Britishbecause they’ve got very good long-standingrelationship with the UAE, coming to a show likethe Dubai Airshow offers them the opportunityfor face-to-face meetings and building a networkof contacts,” Weller explained.

“Most people know that to do business in theArab world, you actually needrelationships and networks and it’s all

Networking on showThe UK's links with the Middle East continue to strengthenand Kelly Green looks at how one British-owned show isbuilding its spirit of co-operation.

Alison Weller: “Now is the perfect time forBritish companies to attend the Dubai Airshow.”

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about the face-to-face meetings, so events andexhibitions like the Dubai Airshow offer theperfect platform for them to either build existingrelationships or to make new contacts.”

Many UK aerospace companies have now setup bases in the Middle East region, includingRolls Royce, BAE Systems, and AVISA AviationSafety Systems. F&E itself is a prime example ofa British success story in the UAE.

“F&E is over 50 years old, and for the majorityof that time we have been trading in the MiddleEast,” said Weller.

“We developed the Dubai Airshow back in1989, and it’s become one of the biggest air showsin the world. Since then we’ve developed a muchbigger portfolio of not just aerospace events, butalso other trade events in the Middle East. We’veseen our shows, the Dubai Airshow especially,grow show-on-show and we’ve got a lot ofopportunities to expand our business across theGCC over the next five years, particularly since wewere bought by Tarsus Group plc, in London,nearly four years ago. With their financial backingit’s given us a lot more opportunities to expand thebusiness and we’re growing quite rapidly now.”

Weller believes that the Dubai Airshow willprovide British companies with the perfectplatform for making important business contactsin the Middle East.

And ADS agrees. The organisation is leading aUK pavilion at the show for member companieswho wish to exhibit.

“The benefit is that companies are co-locatedunder a strong UK brand and we offer sharedlounge and refreshment facilities, which givesspace for smaller companies to hold meetings,”said David Scotter ADS director of internationalmarket development & events. “We have twelvecompanies already signed up for the pavilion. Wehope others will come especially as fundingsupport is available to eligible SME’s through theUKTI Trade Show Access Programme (TAP).”

Members at the pavilion benefit from anenhanced shell scheme and UKTI DSO and localorganisers will make an effort to bring VIPvisitors/military delegations to the pavilion.

“Business out here really is conducted face-to-face,” Weller stressed. “So it’s really nice that theinternational community comes to visit their Arabbuyers at the show. It’s all about the Arabhospitality and building more networks.

TRADE MISSION TO BUILD ONRELATIONSHIP WITH SAUDI ARABIA

For more than two decades the UK and Saudi Arabiahave enjoyed an exceptionally strong tradingrelationship. Saudi Arabia is Britain’s largest tradeand investment partner in the Middle East, with theUK being the second largest foreign investor in thecountry, after the US.

There are currently more than 200 Saudi-Britishjoint ventures active in the Kingdom with a largeBritish business community working there and theSaudis generally hold British people in high regard.

UKTI-DSO in co-operation with ADS is offering aspecial opportunity for UK defence & securitycompanies to make a special trip through arecognised trade mission, to meet decision makersof the major Saudi organisations active in thosesectors in the country

This mission coincides with the first majorsecurity exhibition in Saudi Arabia ‘IFSEC Arabia’(www.ifsecarabia.com) which is going to be held inRiyadh from November 20-22 .

“This will further enhance the opportunity andprovide good platform for the participatingcompanies to meet with market leaders at theshow,” said David Scotter, ADS director forinternational market development & events. “Thistrade mission will provides a cost-effective vehiclefor British companies in the Defence and PublicSecurity sectors to explore the opportunities fortheir products and services in the Saudi market.”

UKTI holds some 20 successful trade missions toSaudi Arabia every year, covering all major sectors.Each provides an opportunity for UK businessmen tomeet with the local business community, and oftenresult in distribution agreements or partnershipsbeing formed. Saudi Arabia is currently the UK’sbiggest defence export customer, and its defence

and public security budgets continue to grow as thecountry continues to build on its capabilities.

The total combined market size for thecommercial security and safety sector is estimatedat more than £700 million. Security is a fast growingsector, which Scotter said, is currently estimated byADS to be worth between £360 and £400 million. Ofthis figure, around £50 million accounts for physicaland electronic security for the banking sector.

The Saudi Government’s defence budgetcontinues to grow, standing at approximately US$ 41billion. The defence relationship is stronger thanever, with the order for 72 Typhoon aircraft ensuringthis relationship will continue for many years tocome.

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The Government in Saudi Arabia does notgenerally award contracts to companies that are notregistered in Saudi Arabia, and finding a localpartner or distributor is usually the quickest andmost cost-effective way of gaining access to themarket.

Local businessmen with strong links to the armedforces and the Ministry of Interior will attend the twonetworking events, together with a selection of UKbusinessmen with experience of conductingbusiness in Saudi Arabia. The British Embassy willalso invite major integrators, MoD, The SaudiNational Guard, and the British Business Group toparticipate in the trade mission events.

For any ADS members wishing to take part in theMission or requiring further information, contactAlan.Buddle@adsgroup.org.uk ■

Another key event in the region close to the heart ofADS is Bahrain International Air Show which takesplace on the Gulf island state on January 19-21.

ADS subsidiary Farnborough International jointlymanages the show with the Bahrain CAA and thereare a few hospitality chalets available. Details fromwww.bahraininternationalairshow.com.

A full article on this event will appear in the nextissue of Advance.

Preparing for Bahrain

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