The local economy

Target 2006/07: To have 250 delegates on the Skills Training Programme through the London Stansted Partnership, with at least 40% gaining employment.
Performance against target: No progress

The issue

Stansted Airport, is the UK's third busiest airport and the country’s second biggest port of entry after Heathrow for non-UK residents arriving by air. It is a principal international gateway for London and the East of England, and is regarded as central to the region’s £100 billion economy.

Stansted currently serves almost 24 million passengers a year, including nearly four million business travellers and over 6.7 million foreign leisure passengers¹.

The airport contributes over £400 million to the local and regional economy and is home to an international cargo operation that transports goods to over 100 destinations worldwide, the value of which is put at over £8 billion a year.

¹CAA passenger survey 2005 (published 2006).

Stansted Airport is the largest single site employer in the East of England, with over 11,600 people working at the airport in around 180 companies. If our applications for growth on the existing single runway, and for a second runway development, are successful, employment at Stansted Airport will continue to grow. It is estimated that employment at the airport will rise to some 16,800 in 2015 as a result of making full use of the existing runway. A second runway at Stansted would see on-airport, and indirect employment increase even further.

Economic growth is vital to maintaining the UK as a premier world financial centre and to the competitiveness of the East of England. 80% of the Global FT 500 companies have offices located in our catchment area and world leading high tech and research and development companies located in the region are known to value the increasing number of European and international destinations served from Stansted.

Our approach

Our goal is to ensure Stansted Airport remains a key facilitator for economic growth in the region, by providing employment, education and supplier opportunities.

Our strategy is to work in partnership with local people, companies and educational providers to promote airport employment opportunities and the development of basic skills and learning activities to help jobseekers.

Stansted Airport provides a range of economic benefits for local and wider economies including:

• Employment opportunities across a range of job types and skills;
• Opportunities for businesses to access a growing range of destinations and potential markets;
• Increased attractiveness of the East of England for businesses wishing to relocate, through the presence of a major international airport;
• Opportunities to grow inward investment;
• Extensive cargo and freight forwarding facilities;
• Tourism opportunities; and
• Over £4 million spent with suppliers in the surrounding areas.

Additionally we run a number of schemes and events throughout the year to provide opportunities across a range of areas:

Airport Skills Training Programme
The Airport Skills Training Programme is an important part of our community led approach. The programme, run in conjunction with Harlow College, provides training for the long term unemployed and guarantees students that complete the course an interview with one of 30 on-airport employers signed up to the
scheme. Those successful in getting a job with an airport employer receive a free travelcard for their first year of employment.

The programme is accredited by the NCFE (the UK’s national awarding body for further education) and is part of a wider partnership with Harlow College and 30 companies based at Stansted Airport. Since the course started in 2003, 822 people have completed the training of which 263 have successfully gained
employment at the airport in areas such as retail, baggage handling, customer service and security.

There are currently two programmes run in conjunction with Stansted Airport.

One in Harlow, the Rainer E2E Airport Skills Programme (entry into employment), for 16-19 year olds with barriers to employment, education and training. The other, the London Stansted Partnership, is run in regeneration areas in North and East London including Haringey, Enfield, Waltham Forest and Newham.

During 2006/07:

• 215 candidates completed the Airport Skills Training Programme;
• 64 successfully gained employment either at Stansted Airport or with another employer; and
• £12,600 was paid to fund 50% of the costs of providing travelcards, for one year, to those who successfully gained employment at Stansted Airport.

Apprenticeships
We currently have seven participants on our apprenticeship programme covering engineering and motor transport. The apprenticeship programme lasts four years with two participants successfully completing their apprenticeships each year.

Meet the Buyers
Our annual ‘Meet the Buyers’ event offers small and medium sized businesses the opportunity to market their goods to major buyers based at, and around the airport.

Last year’s event saw over 170 suppliers and over 30 buyers attend the event which will see almost £3 million of business generated within 12 months, all to companies within our local area.

Since the event was launched in 2001, business worth in excess of £10 million has been generated.

We also held two training days with local companies to help them understand the BAA procurement process and to offer practical advice and support with marketing and business presentations.

Jobsfair
We held a Jobsfair in March 2007 which showcased some of the wide range of job opportunities on offer at the airport.

Careers in a range of airport services including cabin crew, customer service, catering and retail were on display at the event, held at the Hilton Hotel, and organised in partnership by BAA and Jobcentre Plus. 696 people attended and the feedback from employers and other attendees was extremely positive.

Employment forum
The forum brings together policy and decision makers from private, public and voluntary sectors working together to identify solutions to key areas such as basic skills training that, if not addressed, could have the potential to hold back further social and economic benefits in the region.

Tourism and inward investment seminars
Two seminars were held at the airport on these important areas, attended by over 180 key decision makers in the region.

The seminars focused on the airport as a key facilitator of progress and individuals and agencies working together to promote the region as a great place to live and work.