Collins Aerospace advances its talented and diverse workforce by investing in its people, expanding employee skills and supporting the communities where our employees live and work. Community Action from Rockwell Employees (CARE) and Rally For Heroes are two such charitable causes that Collins is actively involved in; Collins Aerospace is also a Silver member of the Armed Forces Covenant.
Collins Aerospace is heavily focused on inspiring youth, providing Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) educational opportunities across all corners of the UK. Aside from sponsoring students up to PhD level at educational institutions across the UK – including the universities of Lancaster, Gloucester, Strathclyde, Heriot Watt, Cranfield, and Fife College – Collins Aerospace, as an RTX business, has a number of flagship programs designed to inspire the younger generations including “Introduce a Girl to Engineering”, which involves inviting girls from local schools on to various sites so they can get a feel for the wide variety of roles and career options that are available. Collins in the UK is also an active member of Women Into Science & Engineering (WISE) and proactively supports the FIRST UK Tech Challenge enabling young people from all backgrounds to gain technical skills and know-how through exploration and innovation.
Collins Aerospace in the UK is also dedicated to the growth of high-value skills across the Armed Forces. For instance, alongside RTX business, Raytheon UK, it is helping to transform and modernize the Royal Navy’s training initiatives, making the Armed Forces more agile and adaptable than ever to tackle future challenges. Meanwhile, through partnerships with charities such as Royal Navy & Royal Marines Charity, the White Ensign Association and Royal Air Forces Association, the company is also providing support for veterans across the country. Whether it’s helping to support veterans in their next steps, or inspiring the next generation of engineers, Collins Aerospace, as an RTX business is committed to facilitating access to high skilled roles that can offer higher salaries, better working conditions, and more challenging and interesting careers.
Collins Aerospace in Kilkeel plays an integral role in supporting its local community, undertaking many fundraising initiatives including ‘Charity Partner of the Year’, as well as sponsoring and donating to local educational and charitable organizations.
In 2021, a voluntary employee committee was established called ‘Collins Kilkeel Connect’ (CKC), which focuses on making a positive impact on the company’s employees, the local community and the environment. The CKC committee has undertaken various initiatives including annual beach cleans to maintain the town’s status as ‘An Area of Natural Beauty’ (AONB); fundraising events for the company’s dedicated charity, Christmas celebration events and mental health awareness events.
Collins Aerospace in Kilkeel is also passionate about building one of the highest-skilled workforces in the region and to achieve this, works closely with local educational establishments, including Queen’s University, Belfast and Ulster University to offer a range of apprenticeships, internships and graduate opportunities, as well as internal development and progression programs to recruit and build the best talent in the sector.