The Airbus factory in Tianjin will create 250 to 300 jobs in the port city, when its A330 completion and delivery center is operational in the fourth quarter of 2017, said a top company executive.

Philippe Pezet, vice-president for human resources of Airbus Group China, said many will move over from the A320 aircraft final assembly line, with 10 percent of the final total expatriate workers. But that still means that Airbus, which is based in Toulouse, France, will take on 150 new employees.

"It's the first time we will be able to have industrial activities on a long range, big aircraft in Tianjin," Pezet said.

The center will be different from Airbus' A320 aircraft final assembly line. The A330 center will concentrate on cabin equipment, which is more complex than the A320.

Airbus plans to offer existing employees the chance to move if they have been with the company for five to six years.

"There will still be around 150 job vacancies for newcomers, and the first recruitment advertisements will be launched in a few days," Pezet said.

But "it will be a challenge" for Airbus to recruit more than 150 blue-collar workers and technicians in the coming 18 months. Finding experienced people will take time.

"We do not see very many experienced people available on the market," Pezet said.

In the past few years, Airbus has linked up with local partners and universities to train future employees, especially in Tianjin.

"The Tianjin assembly line has produced experienced workers and technicians for China, which can only be good news," said Wang Qiming, a consultant to the Aviation Industry Corporation of China committee on science and technology.

The A330 completion and delivery center will work on assembled aircraft's cabin decoration, painting, test flights and delivery.

Airbus, Tianjin Free Trade Zone Investment Co Ltd and the Aviation Industry Corp of China signed an agreement in July to build the A330 center in the major industrial city.

(China Daily 09/15/2015 page13)