Babcock to create 1,000 jobs over four years at Rosyth

Hailed as "fantastic news", the recruitment drive over the next four years will support projects such as the £1.25 billion deal to supply five Type 31 frigates for the Royal Navy.

The new job opportunities will include 400 apprenticeships and 350 production support operatives, skilled engineers, tradespeople and graduates.

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

Babcock's Rosyth site has seen investment of more than £200 million in recent years, including the new shipbuilding facility. (Image: Babcock)

“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.

READ MORE: Shipbuilding work at Rosyth contributes to Babcock's profits

“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.”

The 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 advanced manufacturing and digitally enabled facility that in recent decades has seen investment of more than £200 million.

Apprentice numbers are also increasing at the defence company's operation on the west coast, supporting the naval base at Clyde and the UK’s submarine enterprise, with apprenticeship opportunities expected to double in 2024.

Minister for Defence Procurement, James Cartlidge, said: “Rosyth is at the heart of major UK defence and commercial programmes, and it was a privilege to meet skilled workers and apprentices there last week.

“A career with Babcock can provide these unique opportunities and skilled technical training, whilst making a huge contribution to the Scottish economy.”

READ MORE: New Rosyth Dockyard building for dismantling nuclear subs

Paul Sheerin, chief executive of Scottish Engineering, added: “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.”