Lancashire aerospace giant ranked in top ten for apprenticeships

The firm came ninth in the top apprenticeship employers list for 2022 from the Department of Education, in a year where it is hiring nearly 1,700 early careers candidates, with 939 of those taken on in apprenticeships and 751 graduates.

The figure is a record number for the company and a 25 per cent increase year-on-year.

In Lancashire BAE Systems is hiring 179 apprentices, 66 undergraduates and 70 graduates onto its next programme due to start later this year.

Its apprenticeship programme has recently been given a renewed rating of Outstanding by Ofsted with them stating: “Apprentices develop confidence, resilience, adaptability and character as a result of their apprenticeship.”

BAE Systems invests almost £100m in education, skills and early careers activities in the UK annually and currently has nearly 3,300 apprentices and graduates in training across its UK businesses, equivalent to more than nine per cent of its 35,300 strong UK workforce.

Ella Fairclough, and Charlie Griffiths are current undertaking apprenticeships in BAE Systems Air. Ella is a second year Technician Apprentice based at Samlesbury and Charlie is a first Year EDAS Aerospace Engineering Apprentice at Warton.

Ella said: “I am currently working within US Programmes in the Airframe Design Team. I joined BAE Systems to develop myself and learn invaluable engineering skills from those who are at their best in their fields and because they are known to provide some of the best apprenticeships in the UK.”

Charlie said: “As of this week, I am working in the Thermal Management Systems Team for the Future Combat Air System. I decided to join BAE Systems as a degree apprentice because it offered me a more practical, engaging view into the engineering sector, whilst also still allowing me to complete my degree.”