Babcock International has opened a new welding apprenticeship school in Bristol, combining traditional training with augmented reality technology to meet rising demand for skilled workers in the defence sector.
The school was officially opened by Karin Smyth MP and Babcock’s Mission Systems Chief Executive Neal Misell. It aims to tackle a national shortfall in welding expertise, fuelled by ageing workforces and declining apprenticeship availability, while supporting major defence programmes.
Part of the wider Babcock Academy, the new facility will see apprentices train in partnership with Weston College, gaining skills in advanced manufacturing, maintenance, repair and overhaul. Guests at the launch event—including representatives from UWE, Gloucester College, and Weston College—were invited to take part in an augmented reality welding challenge using hi-tech equipment.
Neal Misell said: “Investing in skills that support the defence industry’s critical role in the security of the UK is vital. Ensuring we have a new generation of talent, delivered in dynamic collaboration with our customers and partners, will help us to meet the growing demands of the major defence programmes we support.”
He added: “This dedicated, on-site welding school will create new jobs, help us maintain these sought-after skills and underlines our commitment within the wider South West region.”
Bristol South MP Karin Smyth commented: “Babcock have been a valued employer in the community I represent for many years… I have long championed apprenticeships in Bristol South and the wider area, and this welding school will play a key part in delivering good quality jobs critical for our nation’s defence in the years ahead.”
Babcock supports 21,500 jobs in the region and contributes £1.3 billion annually to the local economy. The new school follows the recent opening of the Submarine Availability Support Hub in Bristol and builds on the success of the Babcock Festival of Engineering launched earlier this year.
Exciting prospects not to mention long term opportunities.
Oh to be a young person just leaving school these days.
Lets all hope we keep this new found impetus going.
“The future’s bright, the future’s not orange” (Epstein report pending).
It really is!
Technician/craft level skill supply base is at an all time low. UK industry is finally waking up to the fact that if you don’t nurture these skills through robust apprenticeship schemes the pool gradually becomes so diluted you end up paying through the nose for 3rd party services that are 2nd rate. When you’re paying £1k/day for GT service engineers to complete an engine change and they’re coming to you for technical advice, alarm bells start ringing. Never mind if you can do positional TIG welds on a HP boiler tube using a mirror or SMAW’n a rig leg 40m below sea level, basic engineering skills are at an all time low such that when you pay for a Tech, you’re prob getting an unqualified labourer.
Forget Uni kids, get yourself into vocational training!
Brilliant News – well done to all involved 🇬🇧🤝.
Great news!💯
Good to see Babcock creating jobs and training facilities contributing to a new generation of much-needed trades for the construction of buildings and equipment👍