BAE Systems is moving forward with the recruitment of a record number of apprentices despite the Covid-19 pandemic, the company said.
It includes about 70 at BAE Systems in Glasgow.
The company said it has put in place measures, including virtual interviews, which have enabled it to restart our recruitment drive with almost 2,000 shortlisted candidates.
READ MORE: Monday Interview: 'We were back up and running after just two days shutdown'
Charles Woodburn, BAE Systems chief executive, said: “Getting people back to work and creating new jobs, especially for younger people, is a national priority and we’re pleased to play our part in supporting the UK’s economic recovery.
"The contribution apprentices make to our business is vital in maintaining our ability to continue to deliver cutting edge technologies which protect national security. We’ve worked hard to adapt our application and training processes to allow education to continue, whilst protecting the health and wellbeing of our employees and new recruits.”
Recent research from the Resolution Foundation found that those born in the late 1990s are expected to be hatardest hit by the current crisis. Over the last few weeks, our early careers teams have developed new ways to enable candidates - most of whom are aged between 16‑19 - to be interviewed safely and remotely.
More than 9,000 people across the UK applied for the 800 apprenticeship roles during February.
The successful applicants will begin their careers on one of more than 25 apprenticeship training programmes in our Air, Maritime and Electronic Systems divisions, with the majority joining from September to January.
Gavin Williamson MP, Secretary of State for Education, said: “It is brilliant to see BAE Systems’ continued support for apprenticeships, recognising the hard work, skills and value that apprentices bring to a world-leading British company.
"BAE Systems’ recruitment of 800 apprentices is yet more evidence that apprenticeships are an excellent choice for young people and shows that they are an excellent route into a wide range of high-quality and exciting careers. I am certain that apprenticeships will play a vital role in our economic recovery from coronavirus.
“I’d like to wish all of those who applied the best of luck and to thank BAE Systems for their ongoing commitment to invest in their next generation of highly skilled staff.”
Those who make it through the selection process could find themselves working on some of the UK’s most exciting and nationally important programmes incuding working on Type 26 frigates in Glasgow.
Queues have formed at stores across England as thousands of non-essential shops pulled up their shutters for the first time since March.
Customers in England are being encouraged to go out and spend but to "be sensible" in their approach, as the Government seeks to begin reopening the economy "gradually and carefully".
Long lines were seen at Primark stores south of the border, with dozens of keen shoppers waiting outside branches of the budget clothes store in Birmingham, Derby, Liverpool and Nottingham.
Small business minister Paul Scully BBC Breakfast: "The high street is going to be a different place to what it was before, with the one-way systems, with the hand sanitisers, and with people not trying clothes on in the same way.
"But, nonetheless, it is safe to shop. I would encourage people to be sensible, work with the people in the shop but do go out and shop, and start opening our economy gradually and carefully."
Metro Bank has confirmed it is in talks to buy peer-to-peer lender RateSetter for an undisclosed fee.
The bank said: "The company regularly assesses various opportunities in the market and accordingly confirms that it has entered into a period of exclusivity with RateSetter, but discussions regarding the potential acquisition are at an early stage.
READ MORE: Edinburgh consultancy to create 'scores' of jobs in tech sector to meet demand
It added: "RateSetter is a UK focused peer-to-peer lender whose distribution platform could accelerate the company's stated strategy to grow its unsecured consumer lending book."
No deal is guaranteed and a further announcement will be made, Metro Bank said.
The dea is expected to surprise some in the City who had thought new chief executive Dan Frumkin would focus on the bank's core strategy after a difficult 12 months.
At its peak, Ratesetter had around £1 billion of lending on its balance sheet, although the coronavirus pandemic has dented the sector as the Government's various lending schemes - with rock-bottom interest rates - have turned anyone looking for cash in other directions.
A handful of P2P lenders have been given accreditation under the Government schemes, although the sector has faced accusations of poor management and scrutiny over some of the businesses trying to raise cash on the platforms.
Ratesetter was launched in 2010, and is one of the biggest P2P lenders in the UK with more than 700,000 people investing or borrowing from the platform.
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