Coventry city council are set to host a special seminar today to examine the future of the aerospace industry locally and nationally.

Professor Keith Hayward who is Head of Research at the Society of British Aerospace Companies (SBAC) will be in the city to address members of the Aerospace Industry Regional And Local Authority Network otherwise known as AIRLINE. The main issue on the agenda will be direction and implications of the current restructuring in the industry.

Councillor Jack Harrison, Coventry City Council’s representative on AIRLINE and plant conveyor at Rolls Royce, Ansty said,

"Recently a lot of attention has been paid to re-structuring in the aerospace industry. However, little has been said about the likely effects of the restructuring process on local jobs and local communities. I am pleased that Coventry is the host for this meeting of representatives from aerospace manufacturing areas across the country. Not only can we learn from industry experts such as Professor Hayward, we can also learn from each other.

"In essence, our aim is to find out what we can do to support aerospace, an industry that is a key source of highly-skilled jobs."

Coventry has along association with aviation and the aerospace industry. Currently more than 4,000 people in the Coventry area are employed in the aerospace industry – major employers include Dunlop, Rolls-Royce and Lucas Aerospace.