Airbus helping develop the Quebec aerospace workers of the future

• Announces $20,000 sponsorship of new 'Rise to the Future' awareness campaign
  
• Partnership with Aéro Montreal, CAMAQ and both Quebec schools of aerotechnics (ENA and EMAM) in innovative plan promotes training for Quebecers for careers in booming aerospace sector

MONTREAL, May 7, 2018 /CNW Telbec/ - Airbus today announced that it is contributing $20,000 to sponsor an important new awareness campaign, "Rise to the Future," developed by Aéro Montreal, Quebec's aerospace cluster in conjunction with l'École Nationale d'Aérotechnique (ÉNA) in St-Hubert, Quebec, the École des métiers de l'aérospatiale de Montréal (EMAM), and the Comité sectoriel de main-d'œuvre en aérospatiale (CAMAQ), as well as other industry sponsors.

Greater Montreal has a unique concentration of educational institutions and research centres that work closely with companies from the aerospace sector to provide advanced training and maintain an outstanding innovation capacity, providing more than 4,500 new graduates per year. This new campaign will ensure that flow continues and increases.

"Airbus has had an important presence in the Montreal region for many years with STELIA Aerospace and STELIA North America in Mirabel, but our footprint is growing even more in Quebec since we have begun partnering with Bombardier to unlock the amazing potential of the C Series aircraft and bring it to new heights by leveraging our global reach, scale and experience," said Philippe Balducchi, recently named to head the C Series program for Airbus after the transaction with Bombardier closes.

"It's vital for us to ensure that we will continue to have the skilled workers needed in Quebec far into the future. We are very pleased to support this new awareness campaign that will promote recruitment into innovative aerospace training programs," added Mr. Balducchi.

The "Rise to the Future" campaign is targeting different audiences, not just students. It includes workers looking for a career change, job seekers, Secondary 4 and 5 students, parents and guidance counselors. Secondary 4 and 5 students will be able to participate in various "discovery" and promotional activities that will be held as part of the campaign throughout the 2018-19 school year. This includes an Open House held by EMAM on May 10 and 11. Find out more about this activity by visiting the campaign's Facebook page: facebook.com/oselaero.

"We are very pleased to welcome Airbus as a sponsor of this important and innovative program. I am thrilled that they join us in supporting this campaign which recognizes the need to ensure that we can fill the necessary highly skilled jobs of the aerospace sector, now and into the future," said Suzanne Benoît, President of Aéro Montréal.

To learn more about the "Rise to the Future" campaign, visit www.aerofuture.ca or follow the activities of the campaign's Facebook page by using the hashtag/keyword #AEROFUTURE.

About Aéro Montreal
Created in 2006, Aéro Montréal is a strategic think-tank bringing together all major decision-makers in Quebec's aerospace sector, including companies, educational and research institutions, as well as associations and unions. Aéro Montréal's mission is to engage Quebec's aerospace cluster with a view to increasing its growth and expansion on the global scene. Its vision is to become the global aerospace reference. To this end, it champions the following values: excellence, commitment, collaboration, integrity, agility and audacity. www.aeromontreal.ca

About Airbus globally
Airbus is a global leader in aeronautics, space and related services. In 2017 it generated revenues of €67 billion and employed a workforce of around 129,000. Airbus offers the most comprehensive range of passenger airliners from 100 to more than 600 seats. Airbus is also a European leader providing tanker, combat, transport and mission aircraft, as well as one of the world's leading space companies. In helicopters, Airbus provides the most efficient civil and military rotorcraft solutions worldwide. www.airbus.com

About Airbus in Canada
Airbus has had an important presence in Canada for almost 35 years, since the ground-breaking for their helicopter manufacturing facility in 1984. They now have facilities in nine locations in four provinces, creating indirectly more than 17,000 skilled jobs. They purchase more than $1 billion CAD annually from some 665 suppliers in nine provinces. Half of their overall purchases are done right here in Quebec. There are more than 700 Airbus helicopters flying in Canada and more than 130 Airbus aircrafts.

SOURCE Airbus

Silvie Letendre, Capital-Image, Partner of Proof, Cell [phone], [email protected]; Justine Lord-Gibelleau, Capital-Image, Partner of Proof, Cell [phone], [email protected]