More Aerospace Jobs Coming to Space Coast
Friday, September 20, 2013
By: Matthew Peddie

September 201th, 2013 | WMFE- Northrop Grumman is building an engineering center that it says will bring 1,000 new jobs to the Space Coast. The aerospace and defense company is consolidating research, development and flight technology at a new manned-aircraft center of excellence in Melbourne.

Lynda Weatherman, CEO of the Economic Development Commission of Florida's Space Coast, says it’s a huge boost for Brevard County.

“Now we have an environment where sequestration is occurring, and a lot of communities that have defense companies are losing jobs, they’re certainly losing expansion opportunities," says Weatherman.

"But here’s yet again an example of when you have a good strong economic development program and a committed community, how you really can change on the face what could seem like a dire situation.”

Weatherman says Brevard County struggled with the twin blows of the loss of the shuttle program and the recession, at one point registering unemployment of over 12 per cent.

She says the new aviation center should be complete within the next 6 months.

Northrop Grumman already employs 1,200 people in Melbourne- it says it will add a further 1,000 jobs over the next four years.