University's engineering talent helps lure
Spanish aerospace company to Michigan

The University Research Corridor's massive pool of engineering talent convinced Spanish aerospace company Grupo Aernnova to bring 600 new jobs to Washtenaw County's Pittsfield Township for an aerospace engineering center.

The Michigan Economic Development Corp. estimates the company's $10 million investment will help create up to 1,257 Michigan jobs, including 600 workers being hired by Aernnova and 657 jobs indirectly created by the company's move.

The company considered 15 sites across the nation but high on its priority list was proximity to a strong engineering program. One of the first calls went to the College of Engineering (CoE), whose aerospace and mechanical engineering programs are ranked among the nation's five best by U.S. News and World Report.

President Mary Sue Coleman said the University can offer the company several opportunities for collaborations with the CoE as well as access to qualified graduates from throughout the University.

"Within a 30-minute drive, Atlanta has 1,860 engineers while Austin has 860," said Michael Finney, CEO of Ann Arbor SPARK, U-M's economic development partner. "But within 30 minutes of Ann Arbor, Michigan has 13,060 mechanical engineers: 10 times more. Suddenly, Michigan went to the front of the pack because of our area's superior talent pool."

The three URC universities, U-M, Michigan State and Wayne State, each year produce more than 3,800 new engineering graduates, 54 percent of the state's engineering degrees.

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