Europe 1 with AFP 6:27 p.m., January 26, 2023

Airbus announces that it plans to hire 13,000 employees in 2023, including 7,000 job creations, to respond to the ramp-up of its aircraft production and prepare green aircraft technologies.

Two-thirds of these 13,000 hires will take place in the four main countries where the group operates (France, Germany, United Kingdom and Spain).

Airbus plans to hire 13,000 employees in 2023, including 7,000 job creations, to respond to the ramp-up of its aircraft production and prepare green aircraft technologies, the European aircraft manufacturer announced on Thursday.

Two-thirds of these 13,000 hires will take place in the four main countries where the group operates (France, Germany, the United Kingdom and Spain), the group's human resources director, Thierry Baril, told journalists.

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In 2022, Airbus has already recruited 7,000 additional employees and 6,000 to replace natural departures, a "historic record", according to him.

"This shows the group's level of attractiveness in a very complex environment," he said, noting an attrition rate of 5%.

70% will be white collar

More than two-thirds (70%) in 2022 are white-collar and 27% women, present more in support or engineering functions.

The Covid-19 pandemic had led the aircraft manufacturer to drastically reduce its production rates and announce 15,000 job cuts, a device revised downwards in favor of public aid such as the partial unemployment schemes put in place by the States.

At the end of 2021, the group had 126,500 employees.

The need for additional employees is due to the ramp-up initiated by the aircraft manufacturer, in particular for its A320 and A220 single-aisle aircraft.

Airbus, which produced forty A320s per month during the pandemic, plans to increase to 65 monthly aircraft in 2024 and 75 "by the middle of the decade".

Hiring in new professions related to decarbonization

It is also about hiring in new professions and specialties related to decarbonization, digital transformation and cybertechnology.

Airbus is studying the development of a hydrogen-powered aircraft by 2035, a concept that involves a thorough review of the entire architecture of the aircraft.

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In the field of defence, it is one of the main manufacturers responsible for developing the future air combat system (Scaf), desired by Paris, Berlin and Madrid and which will make extensive use of digital technologies that have yet to be created. .

All the group's divisions are affected by the hiring, of which 60% concern the Commercial Aircraft branch, 25% the Defense and Space division and 15% Airbus Helicopters.