The new recruits will join the Air, Land and Maritime businesses in September 2019 and will embark on one of 25 training programmes, which provide the opportunity to combine full time employment with studying for a recognised qualification.
The Air sector is recruiting almost half of the company’s UK apprentices at its sites in Samlesbury and Warton, where they will have the opportunity to work on a unique range of exciting projects including Typhoon, F-35 – the world’s largest defence programme – and play a key role in developing emerging technologies for future combat air systems, supporting the UK’s world-leading combat air capability for decades to come.
Prime Minister, Theresa May, said:
“I’m delighted that BAE Systems is taking on even more apprentices in 2019, with 700 young people being given the opportunity to kick-start their careers in this world-class firm.
“Britain’s businesses have a hugely important role to play in training the next generation and themselves benefit by attracting diverse talent and improving their skills base. Through our modern Industrial Strategy we will encourage even more partnerships to create high-quality jobs across the UK.”
Charles Woodburn, Chief Executive Officer at BAE Systems, said:
“We are proud to be one of the UK’s largest employers of apprentices and our plan to recruit nearly 700 apprentices next year reflects our ongoing commitment to nurturing talent and developing high end skills for the future.
“With technology becoming ever more advanced and integrated in the workplace, it is crucial that we train the next generation of engineers and business leaders to develop the necessary skills which will be needed to drive innovation, solve complex challenges and build on our position as one of the UK’s most innovative and productive companies.”
Ahmed Munshi, 22, from Samlesbury, Lancashire, is in his penultimate year of a Project Management Apprenticeship. Ahmed said:
“When I finished school, I was encouraged to follow a route into university however I wanted to gain a practical, hands-on experience while earning and studying for a degree. My apprenticeship experience has been at full speed from the beginning and really pushes me to exceed – both in my work placements and during my studies towards my degree.
“I would absolutely recommend an apprenticeship with BAE Systems to anyone who wants to gain practical work experience, while working towards a career with real long-term prospects.”
BAE Systems invests approximately £90m per year in education, skills and early careers activities in the UK and has around 2,000 apprentices in training across its UK businesses at any given time, with circa 95% securing permanent roles each year.
The majority of BAE Systems’ apprentices train for engineering related roles and undergo a three to four-year training programme, with many progressing to study Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees. The business also offers direct entry onto new degree apprenticeships.
BAE Systems currently employs over 34,000 people in the UK and is one of the country’s largest employers of engineers, with around 64 percent of its staff employed in engineering or engineering-related roles.
The Company makes considerable investment in employee training, capital and R&D to support innovation and its high levels of productivity, both within its own businesses and among companies in its supply chain. The productivity of the BAE Systems’ workforce, as measured by gross value added per FTE worker, was almost 80 percent higher than the national average in 2016, at £128,000 per FTE employee.
BAE Systems was recently named #1 employer of apprentices in the UK on review website Rate My Apprenticeship and won the Macro Employer of the Year Award and the Recruitment Excellence Award at the 2018 National Apprenticeship Awards, recognising the business’ dedication to delivering high-quality apprenticeships.
