Boeing Plans To Increase Its Workforce By 10,000 In 2023

To reach its goal of delivering more aircraft promptly, the aircraft industry company will need more employees.

The Boeing Company expects to grow its workforce by the thousands this year as the aviation industry continues to recover from the pandemic. The manufacturer said on Friday that more jobs will be added as it plans to increase production.

The announcement comes as the US planemaker reportedly boosted employment to 156,000 workers last year, up about 14,000 from the previous year. It also comes as the company revealed its Q4 and full-year delivery figures, marking a 40% uptick in deliveries from 2021.

More planes delivered means more employees

To meet the growing demand from airlines, the manufacturer will increase positions in its business, engineering, and manufacturing units. Boeing’s CEO, Dave Calhoun, spoke about the addition of more jobs to Reuters on Wednesday.

“Hiring is not a constraint anymore. People are able to hire the people they need. It’s all about the training and ultimately getting them ready to do the sophisticated work that we demand.” – Dave Calhoun, Boeing CEO

As 737 MAX production has been picking up, Boeing is expected to increase deliveries of new aircraft from 2022 by nearly 80 planes. Last year, the manufacturer reportedly delivered 374 aircraft. This year, the company expects between 400-450 to be delivered. In addition, at least 70-80 more 787 Dreamliners are expected to be on the way.

It is also rumored that Boeing is planning to return all four test models of the 777X to the skies this year. Earlier this month, the second developed pre-series model took flight after engine issues grounded the aircraft for nearly half a year. The plane, which last flew in August, reportedly performed a preliminary flight controls test, which is typical after not flying for long periods.

Boeing hopes to begin deliveries of the brand-new widebody aircraft in two years. New jobs could likely be created or assigned to the project to help the program reach its goal.

Adding to a large number of workers

More than 135,000 Boeing employees work in the US. Although the exact number of new jobs created by the company in the US is unknown, the planemaker started a new seven-year partnership with a nonprofit organization to expand STEM learning across South Texas, expanding workforce development in the Lone Star State.

The partnership will add more positions to its already large team based in Texas. The company said it has more than 5,730 employees within the state with an estimated economic impact of $1.6 billion.

Photo: Boeing

Cutting back

While more jobs will be added, the Arlington, Virginia-based company said other positions would be trimmed in some areas.

According to Reuters, Boeing acknowledged it would lower staffing within some support functions—a move meant to enable it to better align resources to support current products and technology development. The company reportedly declined to comment on how many jobs it will cut in 2023.

Airbus, Boeing’s European rival, said recently that 13,000 workers would be added to its workforce in 2023. Around 9,000 new employees are expected to be based in Europe, while 7,000 are reportedly set to be newly created positions.

Source: Reuters