Continued growth expected for Quebec aerospace

MONTREAL — This year is shaping up to be as good one for Quebec aerospace companies, according to a new survey that says more than 3,600 new positions are expected to open up in the industry this year.

The annual survey from Comite sectoriel de main-d’uvre en aerospatiale, or CAMAQ, says 95 per cent of employers contacted felt 2012 would be as good or better than last year, which was considered a good year.

In 2011, the industry added just over 3,000 new jobs, raising the total number of workers in Quebec’s aerospace industry to more than 47,000.

The current surge (in employment), which began two years ago, is set against a background of steady growth over nearly three decades at a compound annual rate of 7.9 per cent, the CAMAQ said in a release Wednesday.

“The economic slowdown really seems to be behind us, to the point where some positions requiring specific skills are difficult to fill,” added CAMAQ executive director Serge Tremblay. “We can anticipate ongoing challenges on that score if young talents as well as experienced workers do not join the existing workforce.”

The aerospace industry in Quebec is made up of 215 companies operating in 12 of the province’s 17 administrative regions, with a heavy concentration in the Montreal area.

Based on the results of the recent survey, 3,642 positions will need to be filled in 2012. They will include engineers, machinists, process planners, furniture makers and finishers, assemblers and aircraft maintenance technicians among others.
© 2012 The Canadian Press