GKN Aerospace has opened a voluntary resignation scheme to staff at its sites near Bristol.
The automotive and aerospace manufacturer employs 1,500 people at its Filton plant and another 375 at Western Approach near the city.
The company’s larger Filton site designs and manufactures structural assemblies for aircraft, as well as metallic components and systems, while Western Approach is a wing structures manufacturing and assembly facility.
The company is among a number of aerospace giants, including Airbus and Rolls-Royce, that have been hit by a slump in demand following the collapse in air travel.
GKN said it opened the scheme after receiving “feedback” from employees and workers' union Unite.
A spokesperson said: “We are directly linked to our key customers and over recent weeks, following significant customer demand reductions, we have implemented production pauses in our Filton and Western Approach facilities and taken advantage of the Government’s furlough scheme extensively in order to protect as many permanent jobs as possible.
“During this unprecedented period we have also received feedback - both from employees and Unite the Union - that some colleagues would consider leaving the business if there was an opportunity to apply for voluntary resignation.
“Having listened to this feedback, we chose to open such a voluntary scheme for permanent employees at our Filton and Western Approach sites who wish to apply. The business is now assessing those applications."
GKN said it was continuing to “assess” the longer-term impact of the fall in demand on its business.
The news comes as Rolls-Royce confirms it is planning to cut up to 50 jobs in its civil aerospace division in Bristol.
The engineering giant, which has a defence and civil aerospace base in the city, is reportedly culling its UK workforce by up to 3,000.
The Derby Rolls-Royce base is expected to bear the brunt of job losses which are part of a previously-announced plan to cut costs across the business.
Voluntary redundancy is being offered to everyone in the UK civil aerospace division, Rolls-Royce said.
