Defence giant Leonardo says the size of its forthcoming 200-strong Newcastle base could grow if the location proves to be successful.
This week the Italian multinational announced its move into floor five of The Spark building at Newcastle Helix, where it plans to base data scientists, systems and software engineers and analytics experts who will work on research and development activities around its cutting edge radar, vertical lift and cyber security technologies. Not all of the 200 North East staff will work on site and some who have already been recruited are working remotely while the space is readied.
Speaking to BusinessLive on a visit to the Newcastle city centre office, the firm - which has signed up to the North of Tyne's Good Work Pledge - said there was potential to grow further thanks to growth in its young people training programmes which will recruit about 800 people in the UK this year.
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Clive Higgins, chair and CEO of Leonardo UK said: "There were a number of reasons for looking at Newcastle. There's the skills and the proximity to the university, academia and the other high-tech organisations here. We recognise the investment that's gone into Newcastle in the recent past and what's going to come in the future. But it was primarily the passion of the people. We know there are some great capabilities in this region and we can be part of that exciting journey going forward."
He added: "We're growing our young people training programmes by a further 50% across the UK this year and that represents about 800 young people joining programmes, apprenticeships and graduate careers - and we can have some of that here. We want to establish links with the local community, with schools and our science, technology, engineering and maths outreach programmes will hopefully start to build the generational approach that we have at our other locations."
The majority of the work at the Newcastle base will feed Leonardo's extensive Ministry of Defence contracts but some will be attached to the firm's work with the Home Office and private industry clients including export activity. North East-based staff will contribute to the firm's involvement in the Global Combat Air Programme - a joint initiative of the UK, Italy and Japan to produce a sixth generation fighter jet by 2035.
It is also hoped the team will also work on the UK's New Medium Helicopter programme which, if successful, could see Leonardo manufacture the aircraft at its Somerset facility. Existing links to South Shields-based Ford Aerospace Limited, among other North East firms, could support that work.
The National Innovation Centre for Data-based Defence Science and Technologies Laboratories (DSTL) was said to be a significant draw for Leonardo, which received £420,000 from the North of Tyne Combined Authority's Inward Investment Fund. The firm already has a strategic partnership agreement with the Ministry of Defence-backed organisation which works on defence and security data challenges.
Mr Higgins added: "We work hand in glove with DSTL on a number of capabilities and we're looking to further grow that relationship. We will take an office space with them and they will use this facility here as well. It's a symbiotic relationship and partnership which is really important to us."
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