SOUTHEND Airport has just started advertising the first of 60 new jobs it expects to create by 2012.

The positions need to be filled so it can emerge as a fully-functioning regional airport by that date.

On offer is employment ranging from fire service and operational agents and passenger service agents to handling agent and even an operational duty manager.

The airport expects to be handling two million passengers a year by 2020.

Airport managing director Alastair Welch said: "At last we are now beginning to see all the developments we have been planning starting to happen, the building of the new terminal, the new control tower, railway station and hotel so we now need to start recruiting. This wave of recruitment is just the beginning of the local job creation.”

The airport expects to be handling two million passengers a year by 2020.