Laid Off Huntsville Workers Could End Up With Defense Jobs

Ares I-X lifts off from the Cape.

Despite NASA’s efforts to end the Constellation program, things may not be entirely bleak for workers in Huntsville. The Alabama city is experiencing a net growth in defense jobs as a result of decisions made by the Base Realignment and Closure Commission, which was created to consolidate U.S. military bases. The Hunstville Times reports:

The chairman of the Tennessee Valley BRAC Committee said Friday that laid-off NASA Constellation workers will have a “really good” chance of finding jobs in the growing defense industry here.

“There are plenty of positions open,” Joe Ritch said. “Those people are ideal candidates.”….

Ritch said approximately 2,300 BRAC jobs have yet to move here, and only 15-20 percent of the people now holding those jobs are expected to move with them. If 20 percent or 460 people come, that still would leave about 1,800 jobs to fill locally.

Even more defense-related jobs are expected over the next five years as defense contractors move here to follow the military commands they support, Ritch said.

The BRAC jobs include business, computer, technical and engineering positions, among others, Ritch said.

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