Aerospace firm reveals new focus in Gloucestershire recruitment drive

After revealing it has recruited 10 new apprentices this year, Ontic has revealed a secret weapon to help it attract still more staff of all ages.

By Andrew Merrell | Published Wednesday 19 October 2022

Aerospace firm Ontic has revealed a push to help ex-forces staff, those who have taken career breaks, and especially those with a STEM background, back into work.

Aerospace firm Ontic has revealed a new partnership it hopes will unearth untapped talent to bolster the ranks of a growing Gloucestershire staff team that serves some of the world’s biggest aerospace firms.

The business's UK bases at Bishop’s Cleeve and Staverton increased its recruitment of apprentices this year from three to 10 and has just announced plans to take on even more apprentices in 2023 – and now it has also revealed a new partnership it hopes will help it tap into a new pool of talent.

Ontic has teamed up with specialist business STEM Returners specifically to help ex-forces personnel, those who have been on a career break, or those with a science, technology, engineering, and mathematics background, to return to work.

Jess Mattock, human resources director at Ontic, the leading licensor and manufacturer of complex engineered parts for the global aerospace and defence industries, said: ‘Ontic is going through a period of rapid growth having already employed more than 130 people at our UK sites this year.

‘Our partnership with STEM Returners means we can build on this whilst giving opportunities to people within our communities who are looking to get back to work after a career break.

‘We’re keen to show that essential technical skills are transferable and that’s why we’re not limiting our search to people with aerospace experience.’

The STEM Returners’ programme, which also has a focus on inclusion and diversity, aims to eliminate barriers, by giving candidates real work experience and mentoring during their placement and helping them to seamlessly adjust to life back in work.

According to STEM Returners 66 per cent of STEM professionals (those with a science, technology, engineering, and mathematics background) on a career break said they were finding attempting to return to work either 'difficult' or 'very difficult' and nearly half (46 per cent) said they felt bias because of a lack of recent experience.

Ontic is due to stage a recruitment open day on Friday 21 October from 11am-4pm at its base in Staverton.

Ontic