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Job Of The Week!
Defence Operations Manager
Salary: £1.00 Position: Full Time
Job Type: Permanent
Job Description:
Demob Job Reference: J4302b Job Title: Defence Operations Manager Location: Gateshead, Tyne& Wear Salary:£negotiable depending on experience Our client is currently recruiting for a Defence Operations Manager to join their existing team at their office in Gateshead, Tyne& Wear. The successful candidate will be responsible for delivery of the portfolio of operations and projects Please also be aware that you will need to undergo a high level of security clearance also therefore you must be prepared to undergo this. SALARY£NEGOTIABLE DEPENDING ON EXPERIENCE, 25 DAYS HOLIDAY + BANK HOLIDAYS AND PENSION SCHEME Defence Operations Manager Responsibilities: * You will work in a team of 5 and manage 4 direct reports within the operations team. * Line management and further training of staff when needed, completing appraisals, disciplinaries, organizing holiday cover and general management duties. * You will be responsible for providing business intelligence to senior stakeholders, authoring board reports and representing the interests of the company. * As the Head of Operations you are required to be the project management and business change champion for the company. * You will also be required to fulfill the role of Export Controller, Head of the Office of Airworthiness for the companys approved authorities and accreditations under the Military Aviation Authority. * The main parts to the role are Operations Management and Project Management, ensuring that the production is running smoothly, addressing any issues, closely monitoring time constraints and making sure that all tasks are completed on time and to budget. Defence Operations Manager Requirements: * The successful candidate must be educated to degree level or comparable level of experience. * Knowledge of engineering or involvement with providing operational support, engineering, technology, manufacturing or related projects and programmes throughout their entire lifecycle. * Familiar with electronic warfare, army communications equipment or Counter IED would be advantageous. * Good working knowledge of project management and the processes involved. * Understanding of the principles of operations management. * It would be advantageous if you have worked in MoD, Armed Forces or Defence Equipment& Support. * Experience of working in a management position, with direct budgetary responsibility for business-as-usual, operational, project and training tasks.
CV-Library
LOCATIONS
LAND
14 Oct 21. Saab opens new West Lafayette production facility in Indiana, US. The Swedish firm is Boeing’s T-7A teammate and produces the aft section of the USAF’s new advanced trainer. Saab has opened its new purpose-built 100,000ft² production facility in West Lafayette, in the US state of Indiana. The new facility is Saab’s seventh location in the US. In May 2019, Saab unveiled plans to build the new advanced manufacturing and production site in Indiana as part of a strategy to grow its industrial and technology base in the country. Saab noted that the facility’s construction, which started last year, was completed on-time and within budget. The Boeing and Saab partnership is producing the US Air Force’s (USAF) T-7A Red Hawk trainer. Designated eT-7A by the USAF, the Red Hawk training jet is fully designed using 3D model-based definition and data management systems. Saab is currently constructing the aft section at its Linköping factory in Sweden and then delivering it to the US. The new West Lafayette facility will now serve as the domestic production site for building the aft airframe section of the advanced pilot training system.
It will build an aft section with installed subsystems such as hydraulics, fuel and secondary power system.
Boeing will join this aft with the front section, wings, fins, and then continue with tail assembly at its facility in St Louis, Missouri, US.
In addition, the new site will support research and development in autonomy, artificial intelligence (AI) and advanced manufacturing.
Saab Group CEO and president Micael Johansson said: “This high-tech facility and its growing workforce are a result of Saab’s continued investment in the United States.
“Just as the T-7A Red Hawk will train the next generation of fighter and bomber pilots, we look forward to welcoming and training the next generation of aerospace engineers and other skilled employees.
“As a trusted local partner, Saab is committed to investing in both our West Lafayette community and the research and development for a more sustainable world to keep people and society safe.”
Saab delivered T-7A’s first aft airframe section to Boeing in April this year while the second was handed over in July.
Earlier this month, Saab delivered the third aft airframe section to Boeing for the test programme of the T-7A Red advanced pilot training system. (Source: airforce-technology.com)
11 Oct 21. Northrop Grumman Announces Expansion in Huntsville to Support US Air Force Ground Based Strategic Deterrent Program. Northrop Grumman Corporation (NYSE: NOC) has opened a new facility in Huntsville to support the U.S. Air Force’s Ground Based Strategic Deterrent (GBSD) program, adding new jobs to the region and expanding its role supporting critical national security and civil space programs in the state. The newly renovated facility is located in a revitalized area of the historic Cummings Research Park where employees will support development of the U.S. Air Force’s next-generation intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) system.
“We are excited to grow our GBSD team in Alabama and leverage the dynamic aerospace talent in the Rocket City to support this critical strategic deterrent capability for our country and allies,” said Greg Manuel, vice president and general manager, strategic deterrent systems, Northrop Grumman. “Huntsville’s rich expertise and legacy in command and control systems will help our nationwide team deliver a safe, secure and effective capability to the U.S. Air Force on time and on cost. We look forward to continuing our strong community partnerships and delivering 21st century innovation for our customer missions.”
In total, Northrop Grumman continues strong growth in the region with more than 2,000 employees currently in Alabama supporting numerous Department of Defense and NASA customer missions.
“I’m thrilled that Northrop Grumman will be building on its already large presence in Huntsville while also advancing a strategic national defense priority,” said Kay Ivey, Governor of Alabama. “By selecting Alabama’s ‘Rocket City,’ Northrop Grumman has picked the ideal location to carry out this important national security mission, and the company’s growth plans represent welcome news for Huntsville and for all of the state.”
“Northrop Grumman is a valued partner in Huntsville’s preeminent role in the defense of our nation and armed forces across the globe,” said Tommy Battle, Mayor of Huntsville. “They are another great example of our community’s ability to deliver great expertise in aerospace, rockets, propulsion and defense.”
GBSD is a U.S. Air Force program to modernize the land-based leg of the nation’s strategic nuclear triad. Northrop Grumman was awarded the prime contract for GBSD in September 2020 and is leading a nationwide team to develop the system and deliver an initial operational capability by 2029. The company’s GBSD headquarters is in Roy, Utah.
In addition to GBSD, key programs in Huntsville include the Missile Defense Agency’s Ground-based Midcourse Defense (GMD) and the Next Generation Interceptor (NGI) programs, the Army’s Integrated Battle Command and Control System (IBCS), as well as hardware integration and test support for NASA missions. Northrop Grumman also supports numerous STEM organizations including Alabama School for Cyber Technology and Engineering, U.S Space and Rocket Center, CyberPatriot, and Madison County Schools WiFi Business Program. For more information about Northrop Grumman in Huntsville, click here.
For more information about joining the Northrop Grumman GBSD program team, click here.
Northrop Grumman is a technology company, focused on global security and human discovery. Our pioneering solutions equip our customers with capabilities they need to connect, advance and protect the U.S. and its allies. Driven by a shared purpose to solve our customers’ toughest problems, our 90,000 employees define possible every day.
MARITIME
14 Oct 21. Papua New Guinea commissions second Guardian-class patrol vessel. Papua New Guinea Defence Force’s (PNGDF’s) Maritime Element has commissioned its second Guardian-class patrol vessel, the Royal Australian Navy (RAN) announced on 13 October. The vessel, HMPNGS Rochus Lokinap, was commissioned at the Lobrum Naval in Papua New Guinea’s Manus province on 7 October, the RAN said. Rochus Lokinap was handed over to the PNGDF in March 2021. The country’s first Guardian-class patrol vessel, HMPNGS Ted Diro, was commissioned in February 2019. Both vessels are part of the Australian government’s Pacific Patrol Boat Replacement (SEA 3036) programme. The project is delivering 21 new patrol vessels as donations to 12 Pacific Island countries and Timor-Leste. The PNGDF will receive a total of four vessels under the initiative. (Source: Janes)
04 Oct 21. HMS Vanguard expected to return to sea next year. UK Royal Navy (RN) chiefs hope the nuclear-powered ballistic missile submarine (SSBN) HMS Vanguard will have competed a delayed refuelling next year and sail to the east coast of the US to test fire its Trident weapon system. A senior RN source told Janes on 8 October that the submarine would complete the refit – which has taken twice as long as expected and is believed to be considerably over budget – in time for the weapon demonstration “in mid-2022”. Vanguard started its three-year Long Overhaul Period (Refuel) – (LOP[R]) – at Babcock International’s Devonport facility in Plymouth in December 2015, but the project has experienced technical problems and the imposition of safety restrictions during the Covid 19 pandemic. Microscopic cracks were detected in similar fuel rods to those used on Vanguard during trials at a test reactor in Dounreay, on the north coast of Caithness, a decade ago. This prompted the Ministry of Defence to order the submarine to be refuelled even though its reactor was not designed to be refuelled for a second time. The technical challenges of this unforeseen work meant the LOP(R) was already behind schedule when the pandemic struck in March 2020. The senior RN source told Janes that the project had been reset by Babcock and a new delivery schedule had been agreed with the shipyard, which has the exclusive contract to overhaul the UK nuclear-powered submarines at its Devonport facility. (Source: Janes)
14 Oct 21. Japan launches second Taigei-class submarine, ‘Hakugei.’ Japan has launched the second of a new class of diesel-electric submarines exactly one year to the day that the lead boat of the lithium-ion powered series took to the water. The new submarine, which has been named the Hakugei, or White Whale, was launched at Kawasaki Heavy Industries shipyard in the city of Kobe on Thursday afternoon Japan time. The submarine will now undergo final construction and sea trials before commissioning into the Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force or JMSDF, which is planned for March 2023. The Hakugei is the second Taigei-class submarine. This is a 3,000-ton, diesel-electric attack submarine measuring 84 meters (275 feet) long, and was previously known as the 29SS class, named after the 29th year of Emperor Akihito’s reign in Japan. The first boat of the class, the Taigei, was launched in October 2020 and began sea trials in July this year. It is expected to be commissioned in March 2022. The commissioning will allow the JMSDF to continue efforts to recapitalize its submarine fleet, with the service keeping some older boats in service as it brought the number of submarines in service to 22. The decision to increase the JMSDF submarine force from 16 boats was announced in the 2010 national defense program guidelines. It comes as Japan continues to cast a wary eye on China’s military modernization and increasing assertiveness in the region. Like the last two boats of the preceding Soryu-class and the Taigei, the Hakugei will be equipped with lithium-ion batteries as a power source. Japan has conducted extensive research into the use of lithium-ion batteries on submarines since the early 2000s, and says they require less maintenance and are capable of longer endurance at high speeds while submerged compared to lead-acid batteries. It is currently the only known country to have operational submarines using lithium-ion batteries. The upsized submarine force will comprise eight older Oyashio-class submarines, twelve Soryus and the two Taigei-class boats. Japan has already laid down one more Taigei-class submarine and has funding approved for two more, the latest being $602.3 m allocated for one more boat in the defense ministry’s latest budget. (Source: Defense News)
AIR
11 Oct 21. Portuguese pilots begin basic phase flights with FAB’s KC-390 aircraft. The activities are the result of a bilateral cooperation between Portugal and Brazil. Pilots of the Portuguese Air Force (FAP) have commenced basic phase flights with the Brazilian Air Force’s (FAB) KC-390 Millennium aircraft. The flight tests are being carried out at the Anápolis Air Base (BAAN) in Goiás, Brazil. The Portuguese crewmembers will train and familiarise themselves with piloting the multi-mission aircraft, conduct local flights along with performing some basic exercises and learn to operate instrument flight procedures. The four-week phase will culminate with the start of the en-route flight’s phase. In this stage, students will conduct longer flights and landings in five Brazilian regions and undergo the Logistics Air Transport training. Portugal Ambassador in Brazil Luís Faro Ramos said: “I congratulate our pilots and crew who made their first flight, and on behalf of the Embassy of Portugal I thank the Brazilian authorities. Finally, I want the KC-390 to be a success in any force that is used.” FAP training on FAB aircraft is part of the bilateral cooperation agreement between the two nations. In 2019, Brazilian manufacturer Embraer was awarded a contract by the Portuguese Government for five KC-390 multi-mission airlifters. (Source: airforce-technology.com)
MILITARY AND GOVERNMENT
14 Oct 21. Ministry of Defence selects FotoWare for digital asset management of new photo website. MOD’s new image archive available to public. FotoWare solution implemented to ensure images and videos on custom public-facing site adhere to strict British Government WAC compliance requirements. The MOD has worked with Norwegian software provider FotoWare to launch a new website with a library of over 5,000 videos and 10,000 images available for the public to access. Following improvements to its former site, which was customised by a third party company, the MOD needed a new site that retained all of the customised features, but also ensured compliance with the strict requirements laid out by the UK Government for all of its websites. FotoWare had worked on a similar website for the Australian Government’s Department of Defence, where a custom front end was developed using the FotoWare solution and API (Application Programming Interface). That same front end was what the UK’s MOD wanted for its own new public-facing site, so FotoWare was employed to customise it. FotoWare implemented a solution to take the new site forward, adding more keyboard controls and a cookie banner, which is a requirement of the UK Government for all of its websites, to ensure they are fully WCAG compliant. Behind the scenes, FotoWare provides controls for the website including a resizable image slider and a powerful advanced search. For users searching for Red Arrow images, for example, the FotoWare solution makes it easier for the general public and news agencies to find exactly what they were looking for. FotoWare also provided an extra layer of download security for the new sites including adding a CAPTCHA tool for download of files. FotoWare has ensured that the digital asset managers and internal teams at the MOD can create albums, with specific metadata and tags, to control what appears on the news packages screen. So, all images with the same news story tags, are stored in the one album for the media to view and download.
“The new MOD site is a nice window for members of the public to see all of the amazing defence imagery that is available. This includes all imagery from the armed forces, explains Panay Triantafillides, Defence Imagery Editor & Digital Asset Manager, Ministry of Defence
PERSONNEL
12 Oct 21. 1st Cavalry Division to serve as pilot for army’s return to division-level structure. An M1A2 Abrams tank crew assigned to Charlie Company, 2nd Battalion, 5th Cavalry Regiment, The US Army is re-organising its manoeuvre units to focus on the division level as its main deployable asset, and will trial a new structure for the 1st Cavalry Division as a pilot effort, with a full operational capability for that unit scheduled for mid- to late-2023, army officials told Janes .
This effort is part of the army’s wider planning for multidomain operations (MDO): its term for large-scale conflict across air, land, sea, space, and cyberspace. For about a century, the service was organised around divisions as the main deployable asset, but around 2004 began structuring around purpose-built brigades instead – partly to meet significant deployment requirements to Iraq and Afghanistan and partly to align for counterinsurgency roles (which often focused on wide-area security rather than manoeuvres and engagements). (Source: Jane’s)
09 Oct 21. Gen. Ray Odierno, Former Army Chief and Iraq Commander, Dies at 67. Retired Army Gen. Ray Odierno, who rose to be the top U.S. commander in the Iraq War more than a decade ago, has died, according to a press release from the Association of the United States Army. He was 67 years old. He died of cancer, according to a statement from the family. The height of Odierno’s nearly 40-year military career was serving as Army chief of staff from 2011 to 2015, but the towering New Jersey native was most known for his service in Iraq, which mirrored the entire trajectory of the war itself. Odierno helped lead the capture of former Iraqi dictator Saddam Hussein, who was found hiding in a hole in the ground in 2003, and served as the top commander in the country until the war wound down in 2011. In total, he spent more than 55 months in Iraq over three tours.
“Ray’s legacy is like Ray himself — it simply won’t fit into the space behind a podium,” former Defense Secretary Ash Carter said during a 2015 change-of-command ceremony for Odierno. “But let me characterize it this way: Ray Odierno’s story is our Army’s story. He’s a consummate leader and more, the very symbol of the U.S. Army — big, strong, capable, always willing.”
Gen. Mark Milley, who succeeded Odierno as Army chief and is now Joint Chiefs chairman, called the 6-foot-5 Odierno a “giant of a man” and a “moral giant” at his retirement.
The search for Saddam in the months following the U.S. invasion of Iraq was a key point in the war, as the military worried he could fuel continued fighting if left free.
Odierno was commander of the Army’s 4th Infantry Division during that time and recounted in a 2013 interview “getting the call” that No. 1, the military’s code name for Saddam, had been captured.
“It was very important for us to capture him to make sure that he would never be able to come back and terrorize the Iraqi people,” Odierno told interviewer Charlie Rose.
However, imprisoning Saddam did not end the war. Instead, an insurgency grew over the next two years into bloody fighting for the military. Odierno eventually became a top backer of new counterterrorism tactics and a surge strategy.
“He educated himself and became the very best operational commander we have in conducting irregular warfare,” retired Gen. Jack Keane, now chairman of the Institute for the Study of War, told the Los Angeles Times in 2008.
President George W. Bush announced a surge of more than 20,000 troops in 2007 to secure Baghdad and Iraq’s provinces amid the violence. Odierno was the operational commander of that surge as commanding general of Multi-National Force-Iraq.
“We’re doing this so we’re able to give them [the Iraqis] the time necessary to mature as a government, to mature their security forces so we can move forward and allow them to take control of their own destiny as they all so much want to do, and we can then return home one day to our families,” Odierno told his troops in a video message in 2007.
The controversial move coincided with a drop in sectarian violence in the country and eventually paved the way for the U.S. to withdraw under President Barack Obama in 2011.
As Army chief, Odierno was the top officer in the U.S. military’s largest service branch when the Islamic State group overran northern Iraq in 2014, bringing a new era of violence and war to the country.
Odierno stoked his own minor controversy going into retirement in 2015 when he gave a stark warning that the continued fight against the terrorist group was at a stalemate, and that sectarian violence in Iraq still could split the country in two.
In retirement, he advocated for veterans. Odierno sat on the board of directors of The Mission Continues, a nonprofit aimed at helping vets adjust to civilian life, and was a member of the JPMorgan Chase Military and Veterans Affairs External Advisory Council.
“What I’ve tried to do is share the experiences I’ve had, the challenges I’ve had, the mistakes I’ve made,” Odierno said in a 2018 CNBC interview when asked how his Army career translated into retirement.
“It’s about getting people to come together to achieve extraordinary outcomes,” he added.
Odierno was married to his high school sweetheart Linda, according to his service biography. He had three children, including retired Army Capt. Tony Odierno, who is a combat veteran. (Source: Military.com)
EUROPE APPOINTMENTS
15 Oct 21. Vice Admiral Sir Ben Key KCB CBE has been appointed to First Sea Lord and Chief of the Naval Staff. Defence Secretary Ben Wallace has confirmed that Her Majesty the Queen has approved the new appointment of First Sea Lord and Chief of the Naval Staff. Defence Secretary Ben Wallace, said, “I am delighted to congratulate Vice Admiral Sir Ben on his appointment to First Sea Lord and Chief of Naval Staff. Sir Ben Key is an exceptional military officer and I have no doubt he will be outstanding in his new post. As the current Chief of Joint Operations, Vice Admiral Sir Ben was one of the key architects of the incredible Op Pitting rescue mission, which weeks ago saw the successful evacuation of over 15,000 British nationals and Afghans from Kabul. Every day the threats to the UK and our allies multiply, that’s why this Government has made the biggest investment in the Armed Forces since the Cold War, so that we can modernise to meet that threat head on. Under Vice Admiral Key’s leadership, the Royal Navy and Royal Marines, are in excellent hands.”
Admiral Sir Tony Radakin, said, “I am very pleased to welcome Vice Admiral Sir Ben Key as the next First Sea Lord. As a previous Fleet Commander and the current Chief of Joint Operations, he will bring a wealth of operational experience to the role. He will continue the modernisation of the Royal Navy to help ensure we can meet future threats and deliver for the Nation. We live in a period of enormous change and I am delighted to be working with Sir Ben in my new role as Chief of the Defence Staff to ensure the Royal Navy and the rest of Defence are a global force delivering for Global Britain.”
Vice Admiral Sir Ben Key, said, “It is an honour and privilege to be selected as the next First Sea Lord. I am excited at the prospect of leading the exceptional sailors and marines of the Royal Navy through the exciting challenges we have ahead.’ I look forward to building on the transformation work of my predecessor Adm Sir Tony Radakin and continuing the ambitious modernisation laid out by the government in the IR. I have seen close up, as the Chief of Joint Operations, the impact our increasingly globally deployed Navy has had. I am determined we continue to deliver on these opportunities, working with allies and partners around the world in support of the government objectives.” (Source: https://www.gov.uk/)
15 Oct 21. Tom Adamson joins DASA as Innovation Partner for Wales. DASA are delighted to welcome Tom Adamson to the team as the new Innovation Partner for Wales. Tom will work with suppliers across the country to provide advice and guidance on how to best engage with DASA and make the most of UK Government funding opportunities to develop their innovations. Tom has worked for the past 11 years in several departments within the Ministry of Defence. He joins us from Defence Equipment and Support (DE&S) where he managed a team of scientists, engineers and mathematicians to provide safety guidance to many of the equipment programmes within the department’s procurement agency. This gives Tom a sound background in understanding the challenges in transferring innovation into the MOD’s equipment and support programmes. During this period, he also worked with the MOD’s national and international partners, both on collaborative research programmes and in standardisation of testing procedures across NATO, furthering his experience in the challenges faced by the department. (Source: https://www.gov.uk/)
U.S. APPOINTMENTS
14 Oct 21. President Joe Biden plans to nominate Ravi Chaudhary, a former Federal Aviation Administration official who served in the Air Force for more than 20 years, as the Air Force’s next assistant secretary for installations, environment and energy on Thursday, a White House official tells Air Force Times. If confirmed by the Senate, Chaudhary would take over a massive portfolio spanning Air Force and Space Force installations worldwide as the service grapples with the effects of deferred maintenance and climate change. He’ll also have a key role in managing the privatized housing used by airmen and guardians and reforms to how the military does business with those landlords. Chaudhary most recently served as the director of advanced programs and innovation in the FAA’s Office of Commercial Space Transportation for nearly three years. In that job, he oversaw research and development programs related to space travel, and was involved in regulating the budding commercial space industry from December 2017 to August 2020, according to his public LinkedIn profile. (Source: Defense News)
REST OF THE WORLD APPOINTMENTS
11 Oct 21. Australian Industry and Science portfolios shared between Ministers. The Prime Minister has split the Industry, Science, Energy and Resources portfolio held by former Minister Christian Porter between two existing Ministers. Minister for Defence Industry, Melissa Price, has been given the Science and Technology portfolio in addition, while acting Industry Minister Angus Taylor has been confirmed in this position as Minister for Industry, Energy and Emissions reduction. Liberal backbencher Tim Wilson has been appointed Minister Assisting the Minister for Industry, Energy and Emissions reduction. “This will complement [Minister Price’s] Defence Industry responsibilities very significantly,” said Morrison in his announcement. “It is timely, particularly given the AUKUS arrangements, which will see us working together with the United States and the United Kingdom, linking up our industry, our science and technology supply chains.” Minister Price will also have responsibility for the Australian Space Agency. The Agency has an ambitious goal to facilitate the creation of an additional 20,000 jobs in the sector and triple its turnover, bringing it up to $12bn with a $1bn inward pipeline of civil space sector investment by 2030. (Source: Rumour Control)
INDUSTRY
PERSONNEL
13 Oct 21. GE Announces Multi-Million Pound Investment to Create Diverse New Generation of UK Engineers. General Electric (GE) has announced a five-year, $3.5m (£2.5m) investment in the UK as part of its global Next Engineers programme, to increase the diversity of young people entering engineering. The UK programme will be based in Staffordshire, where GE operates three sites that design, develop, and service products used throughout the power and renewable energy industries. Next Engineers aims to inspire more than 3,500 local students aged 13-18, providing first-hand experiences of engineering, and awarding financial support to pursue further education in engineering.
Kevin O’Neill, President & CEO, GE UK, said: “Our growing global economy will require more engineers to solve society’s most pressing challenges – from clean energy to quality healthcare and more sustainable flight. Next Engineers will provide a platform for Staffordshire’s young people from different backgrounds to bring their unique perspectives to engineering and help address these important issues, enthusing and introducing them to the hands-on learning experiences they will need to pursue engineering careers.”
Staffordshire is one of four global locations so far announced by GE, joining Johannesburg, South Africa, along with Cincinnati and Greenville in the United States.
Theo Clarke MP, Stafford, said: “Having an initiative like Next Engineers coming to our community is fantastic for young people locally. We were already fortunate to have a top global employer like GE in the region, but local students now have the opportunity to explore viable engineering careers that they had previously thought were unattainable. It really is an amazing opportunity for our young people.”
Next Engineers is a signature programme of the GE Foundation, an independent charitable organisation funded by GE. The GE Foundation is partnering with MyKindaFuture, the UK’s leading HR tech company specialising in engaging and onboarding underrepresented talent, to implement Next Engineers in the UK.
Next Engineers will offer one-hour sessions and hands-on activities for the youngest (Year 9) students. Weeklong Engineering Camps will be run during the school holidays for those in Year 10. There will also be an Engineering Academy providing three-years of out of school coaching for Year 11-13 students. Those accepted onto engineering apprenticeships or engineering degrees will also receive a funding contribution from the GE Foundation.
Students in Staffordshire wanting to apply for the Engineering Academy, or teachers wanting to know more about how the Next Engineers programme can benefit them, their students and their schools, should visit www.nextengineers.org to learn more.
The Staffordshire investment is part of a $100 m, long-term, international Next Engineers programme which GE Foundation unveiled earlier this year, designed to reach more than 85,000 students across 25 locations globally over the next decade.
With 125 years of experience in the U.K. and Ireland, GE employs approximately 9,000 employees across the region.
12 Oct 21 Shortage of skilled aviation engineers a major concern post pandemic – JMC Recruitment Solutions’ survey highlights. Skilled aviation engineering professionals are leaving the sector and moving into mechanical engineering, building services, IT and a host of other less Coronavirus-impacted industries, a newly launched industry survey from aviation talent recruitment specialists JMC Recruitment Solutions (JMC) highlights. Its 2021 ‘Aviation Engineering Professionals Industry Survey,’ surveyed nearly 4,000 respondents in the UK and across Europe, in job categories such as B1 & B2 Licensed Engineers, Aircraft Fitters/Mechanics, Sheet Metal Workers, to learn that 38% have moved to an industry outside of aviation. Even before the pandemic, skilled, long-serving workers were exiting the industry, the Exeter, UK based aviation services talent and recruitment business observed. Since the pandemic, engineers have chosen to retire early, taking out excellent mentors to the next generation in the process. According to JMC’s Survey, 4% of their respondents decided to retire. Approximately 58% of total respondents believed that Brexit had negatively impacted their work options. Of those surveyed, 68% were engaged as contractors, 49% of which felt that the industry post-Covid would offer less opportunities. Of the 32% surveyed in permanent positions, a further 10% were looking to move away from the industry. Since April 2020 there has been a dramatic drop in global demand for aviation engineering contractors and new permanent staff, with JMC measuring a significant drop in engaged contractor numbers and requisitions for new permanent heads being cancelled. As a result of the impact on availability of work and ‘just in time’ nature of maintenance, pay rates too have reduced by between 10% and 15%. Its Survey claims that as the industry begins to recover, 50% of respondents believe that rates of pay will need to return to pre-Covid levels or increase by between 5 and 10%. The industry is starting to witness this already, JMC notes, as airlines rebuild, put aircraft back into service and start recruiting again. The report underlines that much work is needed to attract new talent into aviation engineering, which needs to start during school years, as well as helping retain existing skilled professionals, as the industry recovers to pre-pandemic levels, estimated to be in 2022/23.
“The results of this valuable survey will aid understanding into how the pandemic has impacted aviation engineers. It will be a useful tool for us too to understand how we can help industry leaders in building their recovery and growth strategy, as well as advising how to manage attraction and retention of professionals as the industry emerges from the pandemic,” stated JMC Recruitment Solutions’ Managing Director Hollie Prendergast.
EUROPE APPOINTMENTS
05 Oct 21. Rolls-Royce Holdings PLC (LSE:RR.) said it appointed Grazia Vittadini as chief technology officer designate to succeed Paul Stein, who is stepping down after 12 years. Vittadini joins Rolls-Royce from Airbus, where she worked for almost 20 years and held a number of senior positions, most recently CTO. Rolls-Royce also announced that Harry Holt, chief people officer, is leaving the engineering group to take up the post of chief operating officer at Vertical Aerospace. His successor will be announced in due course. (Source: proactiveinvestors.co.uk)
U.S. APPOINTMENTS
13 Oct 21. Airbus U.S. Space and Defense names new CEO. Airbus’s American subsidiary is replacing its chief executive, Christopher Emerson, with Robert Geckle, its former head of operations and corporate functions, the company said Wednesday. Emerson will remain chairman of the board for the Arlington, Va.-based Airbus U.S. Space and Defense. It was established last year to switch the division’s focus from fixed-wing platforms to government space and intelligence markets. Emerson is a former president of Airbus Helicopters and has been with Airbus for 25 years. Geckle will serve as president and chief executive officer. He had been the former chief operating officer and general counsel for Airbus U.S. The firm operates under a special security agreement that mandates it be run by a U.S. board of directors, independent of the parent company in France. (Source: Defense News)
14 Oct 21. Heidi Grant, director of the U.S. Defense Security Cooperation Agency (DSCA), has been selected to lead Boeing’s defense, space and government services sales teams. She will join the company Nov. 8 as vice president of Business Development, leading the organization previously known as Global Sales and Marketing (GSM). In her current role she is responsible for the administration and execution of U.S. Department of Defense security cooperation programs and activities involving defense articles, military training and other defense-related services. She began her U.S. Department of Defense career in 1989 and held key roles with the departments of the Navy and Air Force, Office of the Secretary of Defense, the Joint Staff and two combatant commands with assignments from base to headquarters levels, including an overseas assignment. Grant will report to Caret and Boeing Global Services President and CEO Ted Colbert and serve on both leadership teams. She will be based in Arlington, Virginia. Grant succeeds Jeff Shockey, who departed the company in July. Mike Manazir, who has served as interim GSM vice president, returns to his role as vice president, Boeing Global Services business development.
13 Oct 21. Science Applications International Corp. (NYSE: SAIC) today announced the appointment of Vernon Saunders as senior vice president of the company’s National Intelligence Community Business Unit. In his new role, Saunders will manage SAIC’s intelligence community work, reporting to Michael LaRouche, president of SAIC’s National Security and Space sector. (Source: BUSINESS WIRE)
08 Oct 21. Sigma Defense Systems LLC today announced that Matt Jones has been named the Company’s new Chief Executive Officer. Mr. Jones, who previously served as Sigma Defense’s President, succeeds John Wilcox who has become Executive Chairman of the Board of Directors. Mr. Jones joined Sigma Defense in January 2021 after serving as President of SAP NS2 Mission for two years. Prior to that role, He was President of TMA where he led several years of successive growth before its successful sale to NS2. Mr. Jones served in various leadership positions at Boeing and Argon ST prior to Boeing’s acquisition of Argon. He also served eight years in the US Navy working as a cryptologist on surface, subsurface and special projects. (Source: PR Newswire)
REST OF THE WORLD APPOINTMENTS
14 Oct 21. Earlier this month, the Canadian Space Agency (CSA) named J. Brant Arseneau as a Space Ambassador. Through the ambassador program, the CSA provides public access to space experts across the country, by connecting space enthusiasts and advocates to inspire the next generation of Canadians. The program aims to increase the number of Canadian space experts and real world space missions brought into classrooms and youth organizations.Mr. Arseneau dreamed of being an astronaut at an early age after seeing the last of the Apollo missions, which inspired him to build a space capsule out of a washing machine tub in his backyard in Saint John, New Brunswick. (Source: PR Newswire)
11 Oct 21. Nova Group appoints new chair. The company’s long-serving chair has been replaced by a non-executive director. Nova Group has named former interim group CEO Julie Cooper a its new chair, effective from 1 October. Cooper, who first joined Nova in 2017 as a non-executive director, replaces Jim Whalley, co-founder of Nova Group, who has served as chair for over two decades. Whalley will continue to serve on the board as deputy chair. (Source: Defence Connect)
15 Oct 21. Australian defence and cyber technology company Penten has appointed retired Major General Dr Marcus Thompson AM as the new chair of its board of directors. Dr Thompson, who first joined the board in August as a non-executive director, served for over 30 years with the Australian Defence Force, which included a stint as the inaugural head of the Information Warfare Division. As the inaugural head, Dr Thompson was responsible for spearheading the ADF’s cyber, electronic warfare, intelligence, space, artificial intelligence, and command and control teams. (Source: cybersecurityconnect)
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Introduction:
Welcome to our Member Job Board!
BATTLESPACE is working in collaboration with a recruitment technology partner to provide an enhanced talent attraction service for {{your industry(s)}} companies looking to find the right talent, and jobseekers searching for a new role in the industry.
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