Aircraft firm AvMan Engineering to create up to 40 jobs at Manston
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by Phil Pitt
A new aircraft maintenance business
is creating jobs in Thanet, with the prospect of generating
long-term training and employment.
AvMan Engineering is opening for
business at Kent International Airport in Manston and expects to
have a 40-strong workforce at the site by the end of the year.
At the moment the firm maintains
short- to medium-range jets such as the McDonnell Douglas MD-82.
But it is hopeful of developing its Kent base to service larger
aircraft in the future - including the Airbus.
To do this, it intends to grow
local talent by taking on local young people as apprentices to
support its growth.
"We are in negotiations with one of
the largest aviation training companies to establish a training
school at our facility within six months," said Chris Wilson, group
managing director at AvMan.
"We are keen to introduce Airbus
maintenance in about four to five years. This means our new
employees would be able to start work very soon and by the time
they complete their training and obtain the appropriate licenses
they could be working on one of the most popular types of aircraft
in the industry."
He promised apprentices would be
the future of the company, but would initially use qualified local
engineers to establish and grow the business.
In contrast to the good employment
news in the east of Kent, there is continued uncertainty for some
200 Land Registry staff in the west of the county.
The Land Registry announced that
its office in Tunbridge Wells is set to close in 2011, as part of a
package of cuts.
The site deals with the land
registration across Kent.
"These proposals were not arrived
at easily and we very much regret having to close our office in
Tunbridge Wells where we have had an office since 1955," said Peter
Collis, chief land registrar.
"The collapse in the housing market
last year had a serious and significant effect on our work and
income and we lost nearly £130m. Despite the steps we have already
taken to cut costs, we will make another loss this year."
Unlike many other government
departments, the Land Registry is mainly funded from the money it
collects - in its case from house sales.
Now the PCS union has vowed to
fight the closure, claiming the move is a precursor
to privatisation.
Wednesday, October 28 2009
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