BAE Systems, the UK’s largest defense company, is set to recruit a record 2,400 apprentices, undergraduates and graduates next year, marking a major milestone in its continued investment in workforce development.
This admission will take the total number of apprentices across the FTSE 100 group to 6,500 – approximately 15% of the UK workforce.
The defense giant, known for building the country’s nuclear submarines and fighter planes, employs 100,000 people globally. Its commitment to skills development has seen an annual acceleration in investment since the Covid-19 pandemic. Spending £230 million next year on education initiatives will take BAE’s total investment in skills to more than £1 billion since 2020.
The funding supports apprenticeships, postgraduate programs and upskilling of existing staff, while also supporting outreach projects such as the company’s third Skills Academy, which recently opened in Glasgow.
Charles Woodburne, CEO of BAE, stressed the importance of investing in talent to deliver cutting-edge programmes: “With thousands of open roles across the country and our exciting, high-tech programmes, there has never been a better time to embark on a career.” “With us.”
John Healey, Secretary of Defense, praised BAE’s early hiring plans as essential to maintaining national security capabilities and fostering the next generation of industrial leaders. He added: “This investment is a vote of confidence in the UK as a hub for high-skilled and cutting-edge jobs.”
Diversity remains a priority for BAE Systems. Of this year’s new apprentices, nearly a third are women, and one in three of our graduating juniors come from ethnic minority backgrounds. Francesca Di Masio, 27, an electrical engineering apprentice, shared her experience: “This apprenticeship is a great opportunity to earn money while learning. For the first time, I feel like I have real recognition in business.”
BAE’s recruitment drive signals a strong commitment to building a skilled and diverse workforce to meet the demands of the defense industry in the UK and beyond.
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