THE backwash of the worldwide recession has swept into Essex in no uncertain terms when a firm like ATC Lasham has to lay of 19 workers.
The aircraft servicing company, based at Southend Airport, was a darling of the local economy. It is a player in an industry which, just two years ago, was cited as a key growth sector for prosperity and job creation in the Thames Gateway.
Aircraft maintenance’s apparently cast-iron prospects were underlined when an apprenticeship scheme was et up at the airport to cater for expanding demand and to supply the aircraft service engineers of the future.
The slump in workforce for ATC Lasham indicates the fierceness of the recession and what it means for people and jobs.
The sad news from the firm will also raise inevitable questions about the future development of the airport as a whole, so soon after its expansion plans have been approved.
These concerns are probably unfounded, however. The strategy for Southend airport’s future remain sound in its fundamentals, and funding appears to be secure.
It is the airlines that have been hardest hit, not only by the recession, but also by the effects of the Icelandic volcano. ATC Lasham’s workflow has been a direct victim of this process.
We must all hope the aviation industry bounces back, ensuring the skills of aircraft maintenance workers are in demand once again.