Funding of £9.22 million to support a training and skills academy
has been awarded to BAE Systems.
The Scottish Enterprise support will form part of a project to
modernise its shipyards on the Clyde, creating around 300 new
jobs and securing over a thousand more.
Deputy First Minister announced the funding during a
visit to BAE Systems' Applied Shipbuilding Academy, which
provides training to help grow a skilled workforce across
Scotland.
It is part of a wider £300 million investment by BAE Systems
which includes a new shipbuilding facility and the adoption of
pioneering manufacturing technologies to improve productivity.
The Deputy First Minister said:
“BAE Systems' investment, supported by Scottish
Enterprise, will radically transform shipbuilding on the Clyde -
bringing state-of-the-art, globally competitive training and
skills facilities, creating up to 300 new jobs and contributing
wider economic benefits to Scotland.
“Projects like this will shape Scotland's future workforce,
developing the next generation of skilled professionals and
supporting high-quality apprenticeship programmes.
“I am confident that this funding will help to secure the future
of shipbuilding on the Clyde.”
Managing Director of BAE Systems' Naval Ships business said:
“We welcome the additional funding from Scottish Enterprise that
will help secure shipbuilding in Glasgow for generations to come.
“The funding supports our ambition to attract and retain the
workforce of the future, providing people with the necessary
skills to work in a highly specialised industry. This will also
provide ongoing value and significant contribution to the
Scottish economy.”
Scottish Enterprise Chief Executive Adrian Gillespie said:
“This significant strategic capital investment by BAE Systems in
cutting-edge technologies and its commitment to helping upskill
the shipbuilding industry and the broader maritime sector is
exactly the kind of ambitious, transformative project we want to
support through our mission-based approach to growing and
strengthening Scotland's economy.
“Not only will the project create hundreds of highly skilled jobs
and protect many more, but it will also establish some of the
most advanced and productive manufacturing facilities in the UK,
helping to reduce the time it takes to build ships on the Clyde
and open the door to global export opportunities.”
Scottish Enterprise has worked with BAE Systems for more than 10
years to encourage investment in its Govan and Scotstoun
shipyards.
The Applied Shipbuilding Academy collaborates with schools,
colleges and universities, suppliers, customers and local
authorities to provide training and skills development across
Scotland. It also partners with the National Manufacturing
Institute for Scotland and the Clyde Maritime Industry Forum to
share knowledge in advanced manufacturing across the Scottish
maritime sector.
Background
The Scottish Enterprise funding includes a Research and
Development grant of £7.4 million and a Training Aid grant of
£1.8 million to maximise skills as well as providing a collegiate
training facility, offering access to the broader industry via
the Applied Shipbuilding Academy, overseen by BAE Systems as
custodians of the Glasgow shipyards.
The BAE Systems project has a potential value to the economy
(Gross Value Added) of £255 million over five years, rising to
£1.1 billion over 10 years. It aligns with Scottish Enterprise's
mission-based approach to transforming Scotland's economy,
including increasing productivity through strategic capital
investments.
The Academy in Glasgow is one of three dedicated BAE Systems
training facilities, providing bespoke learning for just under
50,000 BAE employees across the UK.
