Business, Freight News, People

St. Louis Task Force to Meet Air Demands

[ September 10, 2024   //   Gary G Burrows ]

The St. Louis Regional Freightway is launching a new task force in collaboration with the region’s five busiest airports, leading employers in the aerospace manufacturing and service sector and other leaders in education and workforce training.
The launch is in response to more than US$5 billion in planned investments that are expected to create urgent demand to fill an estimated 1,000 new positions that will open in the region.
The new task force called the St. Louis Regional Aerospace and Aviation Task Force will provide a platform to share industry-related information and details about educational and training programs and events that will support and elevate the continued growth of the region’s aerospace manufacturing and aviation industries, with a key focus on expanding the talent pipeline.
The five participating airports are St. Louis Lambert International Airport and Spirit of St. Louis Airport in eastern Missouri, and MidAmerica St. Louis Airport, St. Louis Downtown Airport and St. Louis Regional Airport in southwestern Illinois. Together the airports and their tenants employ a combined 36,500 workers, and the combined economic impact surpasses $10 billion.
These numbers are expected to grow as leading companies such as Boeing, Gulfstream Aerospace Corp. and West Star Aviation continue to expand their workforce in the St. Louis region. Leaders from all three aerospace companies are among the industry representatives on the new task force, as are leaders from area high schools and colleges, economic development agencies, workforce development organizations, municipalities and professional organizations.
“The unique collaboration that exists between the airports in the region, the aerospace companies operating here and the many leaders in education and workforce development will be instrumental in building upon the existing workforce to ensure the region has the available talent pool required for continued growth,” said Randell Gelzer, senior director of government operations for The Boeing Company, Missouri’s largest employer. Boeing plans to invest US$1.8 billion at its facilities by St. Louis Lambert International Airport in St. Louis County, Mo., and is investing an additional US$200 million in a new production facility at MidAmerica St. Louis Airport in St. Clair County, Ill., where the MQ-25 unmanned aircraft will be made. Collectively, the investments are expected to create an additional 650 jobs in the region.
St. Louis Lambert International Airport (STL), the largest and busiest airport in the State of Missouri, plans to invest US$2.8 billion in a new single consolidated terminal. A recent study by Greater St. Louis, Inc., reveals STL’s economic impact could increase 53 percent by 2032, to more than US$9.2 billion. The report also gauges total economic impact of aerospace manufacturing and aviation reliant businesses associated with STL growing to more than US$23 billion, up from $21.4 billion in 2019.
The Aerospace and Aviation Task Force will serve as a connection between employers and prospective employees, offering various resources via the task force’s website which provides information on entering aerospace manufacturing and aviation.
The task force website is available at https://www.thefreightway.com/why-stl-region/aerospace-and-aviation/
The St. Louis Regional Freightway is a regional freight district and comprehensive authority for freight operations and opportunities within eight counties in southwestern Illinois and eastern Missouri, which comprise the St. Louis metropolitan area.

Tags: St. Louis Regional Freightway