HBC "Very Aggressively" Exploring International Markets

In what might be another sign that there is light at the end of the tunnel for the aircraft manufacturing industry, Hawker Beechcraft said late last week that it has plans to hire more than 100 engineers, along with 40 or 50 employees in the areas of operations and supply chain beginning in the next three to four months.

HBC says it is designing new products and plans to upgrade some of its existing airplanes, necessitating the influx of engineers. The company is "exploring international markets very, very aggressively," according to Rich Jiwanlal, Hawker Beechcraft's VP for Human Resources.

The Wichita Eagle reports that the company plans to reinstate its referral incentive program that rewards employees which refer people who are eventually hired. It is also working with search firms and other recruiters. St. Louis, Seattle, Albuquerque, and Dallas are some of the cities where HBC will be advertising.

Not surprisingly, HBC says it is easier to recruit aeronautical engineers now than it was back when the industry was booming. Jiwanlal said there is a larger pool of potential employees, but that "the growth of (the company's) government business, international expansion, and the fact that the company is investing in the future" make it attractive to potential employees.

FMI: www.hawkerbeechcraft.com