Airbus hires over half of 13,000 employees targeted in 2023, despite tight labour market

European plane maker says new hires 'instrumental' in supporting its production ramp-up and decarbonisation plans

An Airbus A321 XLR jet performing an exhibition flight during the International Paris Air Show. AFP

Airbus has hired more than half of the 13,000 new employees it plans to add in 2023, despite an aviation labour shortage globally, as plane makers seek to ramp up their production to meet higher demand for aircraft.

The European company to date has recruited more than 7,000 people out of the 13,000 positions it seeks to fill this year, Airbus said in a statement on Wednesday.

Most of the new recruits are at the plane maker's main manufacturing sites – where it needs the most support with ramping up production – with the main types of jobs including manufacturing, engineering, digital and cyber, Airbus said.

Of these new hires, 29 per cent are under the age of 28, while 26 per cent of the new recruits are women, an Airbus representative told The National.

“We are happy to see that Airbus remains attractive despite the labour market challenges. Our recruitment efforts are paying off and will continue to support our production ramp-up and company transformation,” Thierry Baril, chief human resources and workplace Officer of Airbus, said in a company statement.

“We are focused on attracting, training and developing the best diverse talents in our company to help us shape the future of sustainable aerospace.”

Aircraft manufacturers and aerospace suppliers are struggling with a labour crunch globally. This is complicating their plans to ramp up aircraft production to meet airlines' demand for jets amid soaring travel demand.

At the Paris Air Show this week, airlines clamoured for much-coveted slots for new aircraft amid long manufacturer backlogs.

Indian budget airline IndiGo on Monday placed the biggest ever plane order by number of aircraft with a deal for 500 Airbus single-aisle jets.

On Tuesday, rival Air India firmed up an order for 470 Airbus and Boeing jets that, until Monday, had been the industry's leading plane deal.

Airbus said that a third of its total staff recruitment will be allocated to recent graduates.

In 2023, Airbus expanded its academic partnerships with 42 business schools and universities worldwide, it said.

“These partnerships will foster potential synergies in the aeronautical sector that will help develop the next generation of aerospace professionals,” the company said.

Airbus currently employs more than 134,000 people across its businesses globally.

The aviation industry will need to hire 1.3 million professionals by 2032 to keep pace with the anticipated growth of the commercial and private travel markets, Canadian aviation training company CAE said in a report on Wednesday.

The commercial aviation segment will need to recruit and train an estimated 1.18 million workers to fill vacancies arising from retirement, attrition and the expansion of the aviation industry, CAE said in its 2023 Aviation Talent Forecast report.