Engineering news
Apprentices will get the chance to work on the Royal Navy’s future warships, such as the Queen Elizabeth Class aircraft carriers and the Type 26 Global Combat Ships.
BAE Systems is taking on 250 apprentices and graduates to work on its naval ships business in 2015 in an attempt to address the looming skills shortage facing the sector.
There are 165 early careers positions in Glasgow now open to applicants, which will include 113 apprentices and 34 graduates. The firm is also taking on 13 paid industrial placements and five paid summer internships.
The successful applicants for the apprenticeship and graduate schemes will learn about the design, build and delivery of complex warships and their combat systems through a combination of college education and work-place training.
BAE Systems is also recruiting engineering technician apprentices to work on the design of warships, as well as for operational roles such as welders, fabricators, electricians and plumbers.
In total, the firm is offering 206 early careers positions in its Naval Ships business across the UK in 2015.
The new intake will get the chance to work on the Royal Navy’s future warships, such as the Queen Elizabeth Class aircraft carriers and the Type 26 Global Combat Ships.
Mick Ord, managing director at BAE Systems Naval Ships, said: "This record recruitment campaign reflects the momentum behind our programmes such as the Royal Navy’s new River-class offshore patrol vessels and the importance of these roles in securing the long-term future of our business.
"There’s a growing demand from young people for viable alternatives to university where they can acquire their skills while earning a competitive salary.
"Investing in our early careers programme is an important part of our future skills strategy as we create a world class naval engineering business in Glasgow."
David Hulse, national officer for GMB, the union for shipbuilding workers, said: “This is great news for Glasgow where we have just seen a reduction in the workforce. The news comes on the back of contracts for three offshore patrol vessels being awarded.
“We have been saying for a long time that there needed to be investment in young people because there is a massive shortage of skills as we have seen a lost generation of skilled workers coming through.
“BAE Systems has listened to our concerns regarding the age profile of workers in the shipyards and have done the right thing in investing for the future.”