Royal Navy: High-skilled engineering jobs coming to Portsmouth and South England after BAE Systems investment
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Millions of pounds is being invested by a defence giant to bring high-skilled engineering jobs to Portsmouth and the South of England.
BAE Systems will create more than 350 new jobs across the South of England in 2025, with graduates and apprentices being handed various roles. In Portsmouth, over 100 positions will be filled across various sites, with 370 in total across the south and south west.
Chief executive Charles Woodburn said: “As the UK’s largest defence company, we rely on the skill and ingenuity of those who deliver our programmes, which is why it’s so crucial we continue to invest in our people. With thousands of roles open for application across the length and breadth of the country and our exciting high technology programmes, there has never been a better time to embark on a new career with us.”
Many of these jobs will cover the company’s maritime services in Portsmouth and Cowes on the Isle of Wight, with 78 apprenticeships, 13 graduate and 38 post-graduate roles being created. Seven more jobs are being creates at the BAE Systems Head Offices in Frimley and Portsmouth, with 96 positions being allocated to work on naval ships and submarines across Hampshire and other parts of South England.
As a whole, BAE Systems is recruiting 2,400 new apprentice, undergraduate and graduate roles, with an anticipated investment of £230m. The funds are primarily spent on UK apprentices, graduates and experienced employees, as well as education outreach and other priorities.
The government is pushing to boost the defence industry, with UK firms set to be prioritised for contracts as part of an aim to generate growth. Defence secretary John Healey said: “BAE Systems are a leading light in the UK defence industry and play a crucial role in keeping the men and women of our Armed Forces equipped on the front line.
“Defence offers exciting careers and this investment is a vote of confidence in the UK as a leader for cutting-edge employment, creating highly skilled jobs across the UK. National security is the foundation for national stability and growth. Our Defence Industrial Strategy will ensure our defence sector is an engine for jobs and growth, strengthening our security and our economy.”
Graduates and undergraduate cohorts will be given the chance to work on some of the world’s most advanced technology programmes including the Global Combat Air Programme and the UK’s next-generation submarines known as SSN-AUKUS. The company offers roles in over 60 programmes, from steelwork and engineering to cyber security, software development, finance and project management.
Francesca Di Mascio, 27, first year Electrical Engineering Apprentice at BAE Systems’ Naval Ships business, said: “I joined BAE Systems because job security is important to me and I wanted to work in a hands-on environment. The job was everything I’d hoped for plus the extra benefit of being part of the community in the shipyard gives me an extra sense of purpose. Doing an apprenticeship is a great opportunity to earn while you learn and this is the first time I’ve really felt valued after joining a business, I’d definitely recommend anyone thinking about applying to go for it.”