Massive hiring blitz at KF
Trevor Nichols - Jul 13, 2017 - Biz Releases

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Thanks to several major contracts, KF Aerospace is looking to fill about 150 new positions.

KF Aerospace is in the midst of a massive hiring spree, as it looks to grow its operations in Kelowna to close to 700 full-time staff.

The aircraft maintenance company has seen significant growth in the past year, taking on major contracts with the likes of WestJet and the Department of National Defence.

The company has already hired close to 100 new employees over the past six months, and Grant Stevens, the director of human resources, says he’s looking to bring on another 50 people as soon as possible.

“At this time last year, we had about 530 employees in Kelowna. Since then, thanks to significant growth in customers, contracts and facilities in our maintenance operations, we have opened up 145 new positions,” Stevens says.

In order to bring in enough skilled trades workers, specifically Structures Aircraft Maintenance Engineers, KF has been working with Okanagan College to run extra courses at the YLW campus. Over the last two years, the company has hired the entire graduating class of the program.

As it scrambles to fill all its new positions, the company is also bumping up the salaries of entry-level employees.

In 2015 KF Aerospace laid off approximately 60 employees after it lost contracts with Purolator and Canada Post. However, Brian Akerstream, the company’s director of business development, recently told Castanet that now is a great time to be part of the industry, and that KF is having an exceptional year.

KF Aerospace is headquartered in Kelowna, and employs more than 900 staff across Canada.

It provides heavy maintenance, modification and engineering services to Canadian, U.S. and international customers; air cargo operations; aircraft leasing; and RCAF pilot training.


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