Bristol’s apprentices celebrated as the future of the defence industry

• Defence Minister celebrates National Apprenticeship Week with visit to Babcock in Bristol.

• 4% growth means defence supported 25,000 apprenticeship roles nationally in 2025, with the Armed Forces among the top providers.

• Biggest defence skills investment in decades as £182 million package creates well-paid roles from cyber security to submarine engineering.

• Applications to become one of the five Defence Technical Excellence Colleges closes on the 16^th of February.

Bristol's apprentices have been celebrated as the high-skilled future of the UK defence industry, marking National Apprenticeship Week.   

Minister for Defence Readiness and Industry Luke Pollard MP visited Babcock's Bristol site to meet apprentices who are learning specialist skills including welding and see first-hand how the region's defence firms are investing in the next generation of talent.   

Defence is at the heart of many communities, and this visit underlined the Government's commitment to building a highly skilled defence workforce, while driving social mobility and better opportunities for young people.  

Babcock is creating 1,600 apprentice and graduate roles across the UK over the 2025/26 period adding to the 5,000 apprenticeships already offered across the wider defence industry. 

During the visit, the Minister also met with local small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), reinforcing the Government's commitment to help SMEs enter the defence supply chain. SMEs stand to benefit from a £2.5 billion increase in defence spending by May 2028, supported by the recently established Defence Office for Small Business Growth. 

Minister for Defence Readiness and Industry, Luke Pollard MP, said: 

"Defence offers exciting, well-paid careers that are vital to keeping our country safe while positioning the UK as a global defence industrial leader and advancing social mobility for a diverse range of backgrounds.    

"From submarine engineering to cyber security, we're making defence an engine for growth to boost opportunities for young people to build rewarding careers, while strengthening our national security. National Apprenticeship Week is the perfect moment to celebrate the talent coming through and the employers investing in them."   

Neal Misell, Chief Executive, Mission Systems, Babcock said:  

“We are proud to showcase the passion, creativity, and drive that our emerging talent brings right across our business.  By investing in our apprentices, we're providing them with the skills needed to build meaningful careers while developing a long‑term talent pipeline that can meet the challenges of today and tomorrow. Through these rewarding career paths, we are securing the expertise needed to deliver critical services for our customers and helping to create a safe and secure world, together. 

The Armed Forces are the single largest apprenticeship provider in the UK, backing over 25,400 apprentices, representing 170 different apprenticeships. The British Army and the Royal Air Force both feature in the top 20 apprenticeship providers in the UK, with the Royal Navy also ranking in the top 60.     

With just days remaining, colleges across England are encouraged to submit their bids to become one of five new DTECs before applications close on 16 February 2026.  

The £50 million investment will transform further education colleges into specialist training centres for students aged 16 and above, equipping young people and adults with cutting-edge skills in critical defence roles, from submarine engineering to specialist welding and cyber security.   

Following the application and assessment period, the five successful DTECs will be announced in the coming months. The initiative forms part of a £182 million skills package announced in the Defence Industrial Strategy, representing the biggest defence skills plan in decades.   

National Armaments Director Rupert Pearce said:  

"Our defence industrial base depends on a highly skilled workforce, and these colleges will be instrumental in building the talent pipeline we need for the decades ahead. From engineers to cyber warfare, the DTECs will ensure we have the specialists to maintain our technological edge.  

"This investment demonstrates that defence is truly an engine for economic growth, creating good jobs and career pathways in every region of the country."  

A further £20 million will support skills initiatives in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland, developed in partnership with devolved governments, industry and academia.