Babcock to create 1,000 new jobs in Scotland over four years

Babcock International Group (Babcock) is creating over 1,000 new jobs at its large-scale manufacturing and shipbuilding facility in Rosyth, Scotland.

The new job opportunities include 400 apprenticeships, 350 production support operatives, skilled engineers, tradespeople and graduates. The roles will support programmes like the Type 31 frigate design and build programme.

The firm says its production support operative initiative is focused on attracting people from a range of backgrounds and experience, including those not currently in education, employment, or training, with the role centred around supporting and learning from time-served tradespeople.

Babcock’s latest recruits will join a state-of-the-art manufacturing facility that in recent decades has seen investment of more than £200m.

Apprentice numbers are also increasing at Babcock’s operation on the west coast of Scotland, which supports HM Naval Base Clyde and the UK’s submarine enterprise, with Babcock’s apprenticeship opportunities expected to double in 2024.

In 2023, Babcock signed a four-year £750m contract with the UK Ministry of Defence’s (MOD) Submarine Delivery Agency to deliver the infrastructure required to support and sustain the UK’s submarines in the coming decades.

This was good news for those who were concerned by reports earlier that year that civilian staff at Babcock had ‘superglued’ broken bolts during repairs to a nuclear submarine.

“Attracting and retaining talent is essential to the future success of our business and directly benefits the local communities in which we operate,” says David Lockwood, chief executive at Babcock International Group.

“Continued investment in Babcock’s development programmes and facilities enables our apprentices, graduates and trainees to experience a mix of on-the-job learning in a modern, digitally led industrial environment, alongside academic training with further education partners and our own Babcock Skills Academy.

“This week is Scottish Apprenticeship Week; our apprentices play a really important role in our workforces across the UK, ensuring we can sustain the technical skills needed to continue to deliver critical national defence programmes.”

Paul Sheerin, chief executive of Scottish Engineering, adds: “Babcock Rosyth’s announcement is fantastic news for the engineering industry in Scotland – and the wider UK too – and the very best of timing as it coincides with Scottish Apprenticeship Week.

“With a staggering 400 of the 1,000 newly created roles being apprentices, what a fantastic opportunity to add highly skilled, well paid jobs to our economy, and boost our talent pool significantly. It creates the chance for people new to the world of work, and those seizing the option to change track on their career, to contribute to the never more important security of the UK.”