The French aeronautics and space industry is looking for engineers and workers. The sector was put to the test during the crisis but it is preparing to recruit en masse.
Article written by
Posted
Reading time : 1 min.
The activity is starting again, we have to pick up the pace and develop new programs. Guillaume Faury, president of the French aeronautical and space industries group (GIFAS), the industry’s professional organization, says it clearly: “We have incredible hiring needs” This year. As at the height of the growth of the previous decade, we have to hire again, welcome young people and find the skills. The message could not be more optimistic.
The 400 or so member companies of GIFAS saw their activity fall by nearly 30% in 2020. The workforce fell by 4% with 8,000 fewer jobs, but the partial unemployment scheme put in place by the State made it possible to safeguard 194,000 jobs and skills. Last year, the industry lost 4% of its workforce again, but the bleeding seems to be over.
This year, 15,000 recruitments are already planned. Aeronautics and space are very technological, long-term sectors which offer high added value positions. But the problem arises in terms of skills, which once again raises the question of upstream training. France is starting to run out of engineers, even if the sector today welcomes people without any particular training.
At a time of energy transition, air and space are in the process of reinventing themselves. On the one hand, there is the increase in order books on the part of airlines, on the other hand, the necessary development of new technologies that emit less emissions, in particular the hydrogen airplane. It is a great opportunity for development and recruitment, especially among women who still only represent 30% of the sector.