While a contingent workforce is not new to our client, Airbus, or the aerospace industry, managing this skilled and dynamic workforce effectively can be extremely complicated.
That's where Airworks, a partnership between Airbus and Guidant, is helping ensure that the supply of high-quality contingent workers is reliable, straightforward and consistent.
Airbus' relationship with Guidant's parent, Impellam Group, stretches back 15 years through its recruitment companies Blue Arrow and Carbon60. Although the previous approach provided Airbus with the workers it needed, there was need for greater transparency, standardised processes and more consistent management information.
As a result, in April 2016, Airworks was born. Under the partnership Guidant provides a comprehensive managed recruitment service across Airbus sites in the UK.
As well as numerous behind-the-scenes changes – one of the key differences for hiring managers is the introduction of an online management system provided by IQN Beeline.
Lynsey Derosa, Guidant's Account Director for Airbus, explained: "Previously, contingent workers at different sites were being recruited from different suppliers, at different rates and in a variety of ways. Now when a hiring manager needs a particular resource, they log in to IQN and add in their request. This goes through various standardised approval loops before coming back to us for verification. Once that's done we release it to a supply chain of agencies for them to fill the position. It means the process is standardised and there's no risk of going to agencies where there's no relationship in place. It also means there's access to a wider candidate pool, so managers should get the very best people for the role."
Fast facts:
- Airworks coordinates a contingent worker headcount of 1,600 with around 100 live vacancies at any one time
- Airbus is supported by a team of 21 dedicated professionals at Broughton, Portsmouth, Filton, Newport and Stevenage
- Skill sets recruited include aircraft production (fitters, technicians), design engineers, cyber security and rocket thruster design.