THOUSANDS of jobs could be created in the region's shipyards if Swan Hunter succeeds in winning a share of a £2.7bn contract.

The Ministry of Defence plans to have two 50,000 tonne aircraft carriers in service by 2015 and has put the work out to tender.

BAe Systems and Thales are among those competing for the contracts and are carrying out assessment work.

Regardless of which company wins the work, they are certain to sub-contract out some of it.

As Swans has worked with both of them in the past, there is a good chance that it will win a share of the contract.

In November, the Defence Procurement Agency confirmed that Swan Hunter on the Tyne had the capability to build the ships.

A win would be good news for operations on the Tyne and the Tees. Swan Hunter owns a yard in Wallsend, and recently bought the former Kvaerner offshore yard at Port Clarence on the Tees, where it is investing in excess of £30m.

The contracts would provide 5,000 jobs, about 2,000 of them on the Tees, with the majority on the Tyne.

A delegation from Swan Hunter and the GMB union has visited London to lobby Northern MPs in support of its bid.

However, there is still doubt about whether 5,000 skilled shipyard workers could be found after years of neglect and the gradual rundown of the industry in the region.

Jaap Kroese, chairman of Swan Hunter, said: "If we want to win the contract to build these ships for the region, then we must start training more people in the skills we need.

"There needs to be at least another 1,000 people in training. Hopefully, some of the people who formerly worked in shipbuilding will be willing to come back to the industry."

The GMB union remains confident that the right people, with the right skills could be found to fill the jobs.

It is carrying out a survey of the region's skills base, the results of which are expected by the end of next month.

Swan Hunter currently has about 150 apprentices on its books and plans to take on another 150 by the end of the year.

The company is also leading the North Eastern Marine and Offshore Cluster of companies working to support the bid.

Swan Hunter is currently working on a contract for four amphibious assault craft, being built for the Royal Fleet Auxiliary.

Swans, in turn, has already sub-contracted out some of the work on those vessels to other companies, including Isherwoods, on North Tyneside.

That business, which employs about 25 staff, is working on providing a package of computerised systems, technical manuals and logistics support analysis services.

The systems will help to identify critical maintenance needs, evaluate and manage the ships' spare parts and provide maintenance and supply management systems.