Nearly 20 young men and women have won Fife apprenticeships against fierce competition.
Babcock, the UK’s market-leading engineering support services company, has welcomed 17 new modern apprentices to its Rosyth site, growing its engineering skills base across a range of trades.
After a series of demanding interviews and practical tests, the top 17 beat competition from more than 300 applicants and were chosen to begin a four-year apprenticeship at the yard where the Royal Navy’s two aircraft carriers are being assembled.
The new recruits, which include apprentice welders, fabricators, pipe fitters and mechanical fitters, will study at Fife College in their first year before continuing their apprenticeships with Babcock.
The apprentices will spend a large part of the practical element of their apprenticeships learning as they work on a variety of commercial projects, including offshore energy projects recently secured by the company.
Some of them will also be given the opportunity of helping to deliver the HMS Prince of Wales aircraft carrier, one of the largest engineering projects currently under way in the UK.
Julie McCluskey, organisation development advisor at Rosyth, said: “We are really excited to welcome our new apprentices to the team.
“They bring a range of good experience with them, having all completed a national certificate in their chosen trade.
“Some of the group have previous experience in the industry too.”
Mechanical fitter apprentice Cameron Hardy, who is 18 and lives in Dunfermline, was among the new recruits.
He said: “I’m so proud to be a Babcock apprentice.
“It’s such a great opportunity and we’re all so lucky to be a part of it.
“I couldn’t have asked for a better group to start the apprenticeship with.”
Since 2008, Babcock has employed almost 300 apprentices at Rosyth who specialise in an array of trades, solidifying the continuing development of the business along with its ever-growing support of the local and wider community.
The new starts bring the current number of apprentices at Babcock Rosyth to 114.
Dunfermline and West Fife MP Douglas Chapman said: “These apprentices have a wonderful opportunity to contribute to major projects.
“Learning a wide range of skills at a company renowned for its talented workforce will help them develop into highly skilled employees.
“In the current climate, we all need to work at making sure Rosyth has a vibrant future and that those apprentices become the backbone of the workforce of tomorrow.”
