Babcock has been recognised with two awards at the Enginuity Skills Awards 2026 for its work developing engineering and advanced manufacturing skills across the UK, the company stated.
The company received Large Employer Skills Champion of the Year for its Emerging Talent Programme and New Talent Inspiration Programme of the Year for its Production Support Operative programme. According to Babcock, the awards recognise organisations and initiatives helping to address skills challenges across the UK’s industrial sectors and to bring new talent into the workforce.
Jennifer McElhinney, Interim Chief People Officer at Babcock, was quoted in the press release as saying: “Winning these two awards is fantastic recognition of the innovative work taking place across Babcock to develop the skills we need for the future. From creating new routes into engineering through our PSO programme to building long-term capability through Emerging Talent, we’re committed to opening opportunities, developing people and strengthening the skills that underpin sovereign capability. These awards belong to the many colleagues, partners and communities who have helped make these programmes such a success.”
The Emerging Talent Programme supports the development of future engineers, technicians and business professionals through apprenticeships, graduate schemes and other early careers pathways. According to the company, the programme plays a role in building a workforce equipped to support some of the UK’s most complex and critical operations. The Production Support Operative programme has created an alternative entry route into the engineering and manufacturing sectors, providing participants with skills, experience and opportunities to progress into longer-term careers.
Babcock, one of the UK’s largest defence companies, has placed growing emphasis on workforce development at a time when the wider defence sector faces pressure to recruit and retain engineers and technical specialists. The recognition at the Enginuity awards adds to a series of skills-related accolades for the company over the past year, and comes as it continues to invest in early careers routes across its operations, working with industry partners, education providers and local communities to address national skills shortages.
Interesting.
I realise they are into many areas but what we are all waiting to see is how well the T31 performs and how quickly they can get the to sea.