Lockheed Martin UK has has committed to building a long-term tech skills pipeline in the North East.
The Memorandum of Understanding signed by North East Mayor, Kim McGuinness and Lockheed Martin UK is a commitment to accelerate further growth in the region’s space sector.
“North East England has amazing, talented people with a huge amount of experience within advanced manufacturing. We want to harness these skills so that local people can access all the opportunities the growing space sector provides,” explained McGuinness.
“At the same time, we’re working to ensure our young people are engaged and excited about careers in the sector, through space camps, dedicated training and more. I want young people growing up in our region to know that there are rewarding careers available for them right here and the opportunities are endless.”
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Lockheed Martin UK is already a major partner in Northumbria University’s North East Space Skills and Technology Centre (NESST) and plans “that could exceed £100m in investment,” including proposals for a major new facility at NETPark in County Durham.
The company will work with New College Durham to support delivery of T-Levels and partner with regional organisations on targeted programmes to help SMEs access space markets.
“Lockheed Martin UK is committed to playing a long-term role in strengthening the UK’s sovereign space capability. By working closely with the Mayor and North East MSA, we can help grow the industrial base, create new opportunities across the supply chain, and support high-value jobs in the North East,” explained Rod Drury, Vice President of Global Space at Lockheed Martin.
