Montréal, May 22, 2018 — Aéro Montréal, Québec’s aerospace cluster, recognizes the critical importance of Québec’s new national workforce strategy, tabled today by the Government of Québec, in addressing labour shortages that are affecting Québec’s aerospace ecosystem.

Several of the measures announced will have a direct impact on the aerospace industry, and respond to industry demands brought forward by Aéro Montréal. Three of them include:

• The possibility for educational institutions to offer training in highly sought-after sectors even if the minimum enrolment quota is below the targeted norms.
• Salary financing for employees who take eligible training.
• The new tax credit for companies who take on university-level interns. This will be a significant incentive for companies.

“With nearly 30,000 new positions to be created within 10 years, the government’s response to workforce challenges was eagerly awaited and meets the demands we have expressed to elected officials on many occasions,” says Suzanne. Mr. Benoît, President of Aéro Montréal. “More can always be done, but this is a great day for the innovative aerospace industry.”

Kevin P. Smith, Vice President, Human Resources and Communications, Pratt & Whitney Canada and President of Aéro Montréal’s Human Resources Working Group, believes that “the scarcity of manpower is being felt in the hiring of personnel with university, technical and vocational training. The entire industry is being affected. By encouraging the hiring of paid interns from these three sectors, companies will have an additional incentive to overcome their recruitment difficulties.”

In early May, Aéro Montréal, in collaboration with the Comité sectoriel de main-d’œuvre en aérospatiale du Québec (CAMAQ), the École nationale d’aérotechnique (ÉNA), the École des métiers de l’aérospatiale de Montréal (ÉMAM), Airbus, Bombardier, CAE, Bell and Pratt & Whitney Canada, launched the Aerofuture campaign. The goal of this campaign is to address the labour scarcity challenge facing the entire industry by highlighting the multitude of career opportunities this industry offers.

About Aéro Montréal

Created in 2006, Aéro Montréal is a strategic think tank that groups all major decision makers in Québec’s aerospace sector, including companies, educational and research institutions, as well as associations and unions. Aéro Montréal’s mission is to engage Québec'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.

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For more information:

Gwenaël Brisé

Manager, Communications and Media Relations

Aéro Montréal

438 497-3857

gwenael.brise@aeromontreal.ca