Aerospace apprentices from Lancashire get Parliamentary welcome from county MP

The event proved an opportunity for Parliamentarians to celebrate the successes of the sector, which despite the pandemic has seen the number of apprentices employed in Aerospace, Defence, Security and Space growing by more than 5,000 in recent years.

One of the largest contingents of apprentices were those of BAE systems, which has a significant presence in MP Nigel Evans’ Ribble Valley constituency, employing more than 3,000 people at the Samlesbury site alone.

Mr Evans welcomed several apprentices from BAE Systems based across Lancashire, congratulating them for their success in achieving such sought after and important roles.

BAE has been at the forefront of investment into apprenticeships in the sector with record numbers of almost 2,500 already in training and plans to recruit 1,000 more this year.

Mr Evans said: “It is brilliant to see so many young apprentices joining the workforce and bringing such a positive contribution to UK engineering, manufacturing and design. It is becoming ever clearer that in order to maintain the UK’s world leading aerospace, defence, security and space sectors we must invest in the next generation which is why I was so pleased to be able to welcome so many new recruits here to the House of Commons.

“Recent events have shown us just how important it is that we are able to produce and manufacture for these sectors using a skilled and home-grown workforce and I am proud to represent one of the finest engineering sites in the UK in Samlesbury.”