LONDON, Feb. 13 -- The government of the United Kingdom issued the following news:
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Defence Ministercelebrates National Apprenticeship Week with visit to BabcockinBristol.
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4% growth means defencesupported 25,000apprenticeship roles nationally in 2025, with the Armed Forcesamong the top providers.
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Biggest defence skills investment in decades as £182 million package creates well-paid roles from cyber security to submarine engineering.
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Applications to become one of the five Defence Technical Excellence Colleges closes on the 16th of February.
Bristol's apprentices have been celebrated as the high-skilled future of the UK defence industry, markingNational Apprenticeship Week.
Minister for Defence Readiness and Industry Luke Pollard MP visited Babcock'sBristolsiteto meet apprenticeswho are learning specialist skills including welding andsee first-hand howthe region'sdefencefirms are investing in the next generation of talent.
Defence is at the heart ofmanycommunities,and thisvisitunderlinedthe Government's commitment to building a highly skilled defence workforce, whiledriving social mobility and better opportunities for young people.
Babcock is creating 1,600 apprentice and graduate roles across the UK over the 2025/26 period adding to the 5,000 apprenticeships already offered across the wider defence industry.
During the visit, the Minister also met with local small and medium-sized enterprises(SMEs), reinforcing the Government's commitment tohelp SMEs enter the defence supply chain.SMEs stand tobenefitfrom a £2.5 billion increase in defence spending by May 2028, supported by the recently established Defence Office for Small Business Growth.
Minister for Defence Readiness and Industry, Luke Pollard MP, said:
Defence offers exciting, well-paid careers that are vital to keeping our country safewhile positioning the UK as a global defence industrialleader andadvancing social mobility fora diverse range of backgrounds.
From submarine engineering to cyber security,we're making defence an engine for growth to boostopportunities for young people to build rewarding careers,while strengtheningour national security. National Apprenticeship Week is the perfect moment to celebrate the talent coming through and theemployersinvesting in them.
Neal Misell, Chief Executive, Mission Systems, Babcock said:
We are proud toshowcasethe passion, creativity, and drive that our emerging talent brings right across our business. By investing in our apprentices,we'reproviding them with the skills needed to build meaningful careers while developing a long‑term talent pipeline that can meet the challenges of today and tomorrow. Through these rewarding career paths, we are securing theexpertiseneeded to deliver critical services for our customers and helping to create a safe and secure world, together.
The Armed Forces are the single largest apprenticeship provider in theUK, backingover 25,400 apprentices,representing170 different apprenticeships.The British Army and the Royal Air Force both feature in the top 20 apprenticeship providers in the UK, with the Royal Navy also ranking in the top 60.
With just daysremaining, colleges across England areencouragedtosubmittheir bids to become one of five new DTECs before applications close on 16 February2026.
The £50 million investment will transform further education colleges into specialist training centres for students aged 16 and above, equipping young peopleand adultswithcutting-edgeskills in critical defence roles, from submarine engineering to specialist welding and cyber security.
Following the application and assessment period, the five successful DTECs will be announced inthe coming months. The initiative forms part ofa£182 million skills package announced in the Defence Industrial Strategy,representingthe biggest defence skills plan in decades.
National Armaments Director Rupert Pearce said:
Our defence industrial base depends on a highly skilled workforce, and these colleges will be instrumental in building the talent pipeline we need for the decades ahead. Fromengineersto cyber warfare, the DTECs will ensure we have the specialists tomaintainour technological edge.
This investment demonstrates that defence is truly an engine for economic growth, creating good jobs and career pathways in every region of the country.
Disclaimer: Curated by HT Syndication.
