Aerospace company Boeing's new programme to create 250 Australian jobs

Employees of All Nippon Airways (ANA) queue in front of the company's Boeing 787 Dreamliner plane after its test flight at Haneda airport in Tokyo April 28, 2013. Reuters/Yuya Shino

Aerospace company Boeing is establishing a new office in Adelaide, which will lead to the creation of as many as 250 jobs. Scheduled to open next week, the new office will support advanced military systems and engage in research and development.

The project has been financially supported by the South Australian government through Investment Attraction South Australia and Defence SA. The deal for the new office was signed on Thursday by Premier Jay Weatherill and Boeing Defence Australia managing director Darren Edwards.

Additionally, the company will be making an investment worth $500,000 for the Techstars global accelerator programme. "Part of that programme will be providing local start-ups each year with access to experienced mentors, advanced research and technology,” Edwards said, adding that Boeing’s move to South Australia was a “long time coming.”

"This is the start of a journey for us. This is the start of growing much bigger in the state," he said. Techstars aids startup businesses by helping them secure capital, marketing and employees.

According to Weatherill, the new Boeing office would lead to flow-on effects for the state’s economy. Additionally, it will better opportunities for its university graduates. "What it's about is young people being able to stay here in Adelaide and get a great job," he said. "It's always been a great place to live, it's becoming a really exciting place to live. The thing that's been missing is the great job."

The development comes as good news for South Australia, Weatherill said. It would provide the state with an economic boost, he said, adding that the deal would see an extension beyond its initial period.

Boeing has a workforce of almost 140,000 people internationally in manufacturing of commercial airliners, military aircraft and defence, space and security systems. The aerospace company’s presence in Australia has been the largest following the United States. In Australia, the company employs in excess of 3,000 people, majority of who are in Queensland.

With the help of the new programme in Adelaide, Boeing will aid 10 companies create and commercialise state-of-the-art defence and security and technology. The Adelaide programme will run from July until October this year.

South Australia recently attracted engineering support services company Babcock, which said last year it was looking to shift its Australasian headquarters from Brisbane to Adelaide owing to the state’s growing Defence industry. The news comes as the state has been continuously losing jobs in car manufacturing and other industries.