What you could do

If you'd like to be considered for an apprenticeship you need to know who's hiring and where the job opportunities lie. In Scotland a variety of companies in the marine engineering sector could be taking on apprentices. Go to our careers contact section to get in touch with just some of the companies who may have the apprentice opportunities you're looking for.

Opportunities

Both BAE Systems Surface Ships (opens in a new window) on the Clyde and Babcock Marine (opens in a new window) in Fife are just two of the Scottish companies who have a regular apprentice intakes each year.

If you're interested in a career in engineering within the shipbuilding industry you should check out how to apply for an apprenticeship with one of these companies.

But before you do, ask yourself a few simple questions...Are you practically minded? Are you good at understanding how things work? Do you enjoy working as part of a team? Do you have the necessary school qualifications to get into an apprenticeship? Then ask yourself one more question: what's in an apprenticeship for you?

At BAE Systems Surface Ships (opens in a new window) in Glasgow, around 4000 people are already working hard on building Type 45 destroyers for the Royal Navy and ships for export.  The work on the new aircraft carriers will follow on and the designers are already well advanced on preparing for BAE Systems Surface Ships (opens in a new window) sections of the carriers. BAE Systems Surface Ships has the biggest apprentice programme in Scotland.  

Babcock Marine (opens in a new window) in Rosyth has already started on the construction of its sections of the aircraft carriers and will continue working on the ships until at least 2018. The scale of the project combined with a continuing programme of ship refitting means that the company has to be ready to meet demand. Babcock Marine will be providing many new apprenticeship places across all engineering trades.

In the immediate future apprentices will be appointed from the Engineering Advantage NC courses at Carnegie College and the Technology 500 programme at Adam Smith College (opens in a new window).

Wider opportunities

Building two massive aircraft carriers will involve all sorts of companies who will be looking to recruit engineering recruits.

But the main shipbuilding companies aren't the only employers looking for new recruits. The marine suppliers and the wider engineering industry are also usually on the lookout for talented people with appropriate qualifications, and like the shipbuilding companies, there is the potential for apprenticeship and training places.

The skills and training gained by those who are successful in getting jobs in shipbuilding will of course last a lifetime. The shipyards are an excellent route into the wider engineering industry for those choosing to move on. And there are continuing career opportunities and chances for advancement for the best candidates in the shipbuilding and ship-repair industry for those choosing to stay.