Babcock International has launched a nationwide roadshow, sending a specially equipped bus around the UK to engage staff, promote career opportunities and showcase its wider social footprint.
The initiative follows the release of the company’s Delivering the Defence Dividend report, which set out Babcock’s impact beyond defence contracts.
According to the report, the company invested £550 million in 3,800 UK small and medium-sized enterprises, brought in its largest early careers intake of around 900, and engaged 82,000 pupils through STEM outreach. It also plans to hire 1,000 new production support operatives, described as part of an award-winning employment scheme.
Babcock said it remains the UK’s joint largest defence employer of veterans and the largest employer of military reservists, with more than 500 on its books. Other initiatives highlighted include over £1 million in charitable donations and the launch of a free employee share scheme.
The tour comes as Babcock apprentices and graduates took part in the Next Gen Skills Takeover Day at DSEI 2025 in London, underlining the company’s push to present itself as a long-term career destination.
Chief executive David Lockwood said the roadshow was intended to build stronger connections with communities: “Reaching out to colleagues within the communities they work in is really important and this roadshow gives us a fantastic opportunity to do this in a different way. Our people are hugely proud of what we collectively contribute to the safety and security of the UK and we are encouraging others to find out more about opportunities to join Babcock as we travel the country.”
The bus, billed as a “moving hub of ideas, innovation and collaboration,” will stop at sites across the UK where Babcock operates, giving employees and potential recruits a platform to discuss careers, wellbeing, sustainability and skills development.
Imagine if we diverted a fraction of the university budget into apprenticeships. The government in Scotland is paying £8,000 a year for every anthropology student and French literature student.
I so agree. Cap Student Loans for degrees and put money into apprenticeships NOW.
The death of good quality apprenticeship combined with all must go to university mantra of major and Blair/ brown, was not a good move for this country.
Lots of great kids were left high and dry with the focus on academia