Trade body ADS has leveraged the Aerospace Growth Partnership and money from government to create a £6 million bursary fund for masters level aerospace engineering students.
The bursary fund opened yesterday. It aims to develop high level aerospace skills to maintain the UK’s global competitiveness in the sector.
Current employees in the aerospace sector who are already qualified to graduate level and looking to upskill will be eligible for bursaries as well as BSc students.
TM is hosting a Future Factory event next week called Driving Skills Development in the Workforce.
Join industry peers to discuss specific sector and regional skills gaps. Share best practice in addressing these and tips on the best training providers, schools and universities to collaborate with.
Bursaries may cover tuition fees of up to £9,500 and SME businesses wishing to upskill employees are assured fee subsidies of 75% via the scheme. The £6m pot should cover the provision of 500 MSc level degrees.
Government and industry has contributed evenly to make the new bursary fund possible. Government has contributed £3m and the Aerospace Growth Partnership (APG), convened by trade body ADS has made another £3m contribution.
The UK companies contributing through the APG are: BAE Systems, Bombardier Aerospace Belfast, EADS/Airbus, Finmeccanica, GKN, MBDA Missile Systems, Messier-Bugatti-Dowty, Rolls-Royce and Spirit AeroSystems.
On the launch of the scheme Paul Everitt, chief executive of ADS commented: “Investment in developing world class skills is critical for the future of the UK aerospace industry. This joint commitment of funding from government and industry to create this initiative is an important step – both in securing valuable high-level skills and in taking the successful Aerospace Growth Partnership forward.”
Bursaries will be won in competition through the Royal Academy of Engineering and the Royal Aeronautical Society. Chief Executive of the Royal Academy of Engineering, Philip Greenish, CBE said: “This programme will make a swift and positive impact on the industry, which needs people with the high level engineering skills provided by UK universities. The men and women who pass through the scheme will go on to work at the cutting edge of aviation.”
For more information or to apply for MSc funding, visit www.raeng.org.uk/aeromsc.
