Kelowna’s KF Aerospace is rebounding from an industry-wide curtailment and going on a bit of a hiring spree.
The company said it is expanding two hangars at its Kelowna facility and will immediately add 50 new local positions, ranging from entry-level jobs to professional services.
“When COVID-19 grounded air travel, demand for regular maintenance on commercial aircraft softened,” Gregg Evjen, the company’s recently-appointed chief operating officer, said in a press release.
“But travel has been steadily returning, our cargo conversion business is soaring, and we continue to welcome new customers. Our workforce is expanding. Now is the perfect time to jump on a long-term career opportunity in a very cool industry.”
Grant Stevens, chief corporate services officer at KF Aerospace, said the company invests in its employees’ training and education and there’s lots of room to grow.
It’s a significant turnabout from October 2020, when the company had to announce cutbacks due to COVID-19.
At the time, company president Tracy Medve said KF Aerospace lost nearly 50 per cent of its scheduled work as airlines across the globe grounded their fleets. They weathered the storm for six months but then reduced the company’s 1,100-person staff by 14 per cent as time marched on.
KF Aerospace has a second large maintenance facility in Hamilton, Ont., flies air cargo services for Purolator, and trains Canada’s military pilots in Portage la Prairie, Man. It is also Canada’s largest maintenance and repair provider for commercial aircraft.
KF Aerospace services many airlines in Canada as well as foreign air carriers, performing aircraft maintenance and modifications on hundreds of airplanes each year both in Kelowna and in Hamilton.
It started in Kelowna more than 50 years ago. KF’s passenger-to-cargo conversion expertise has been highly sought after throughout the pandemic, keeping business steady.
For a complete list of available positions, visit kfaero.ca/careers.