AN ENGINEERING and defence giant has hailed its first intake of Kickstart recruits in Scotland.
BAE Systems, which this week celebrated wheeling out the bow of the first Type 26 frigate, HMS Glasgow, in Govan, said nine young people have joined its maritime business in Scotland in April.
During their six month placement, eight new recruits will join BAE Systems in Glasgow and experience training in steel work fabrication and welding at the site training centre and production facilities, in addition to undertaking a placement in its safety, health and environment team.
Recruits will complete core BAE Systems skills business training and attend West College Scotland to work towards an Introduction to Engineering qualification. In addition, one recruit will join the manufacturing team at its maritime services’ business in Hillend, Fife.
More than 30 young people are joining across our UK sites, embarking on placements which are designed to give them the opportunity to build their skills, confidence and gain experience with the aim of improving their chances of finding long-term work.
Mims Davies MP, Minister for Employment, said: “It’s great to see BAE Systems brilliantly backing this Government’s Kickstart Scheme - helping our next generation of workers become engineers, technicians and train in high-quality roles, enabling them to develop the key skills to thrive in work.
“There is real potential for them to progress further into training and career opportunities across BAE Systems after the six months, highlighting how our Plan for Jobs is boosting long-term job prospects as we push to build back better and level up the country.”
Caroline Clucas, head of early careers, BAE Systems Naval Ships, said: “We are hopeful that Kickstart will provide a new pipeline of talent for young people into our apprenticeship and graduate programmes as we continue to seek to recruit people from diverse backgrounds and help young people achieve their full potential.”
The Kickstart Scheme, part of the Government’s Plan for Jobs, aims to create hundreds of thousands job placements for 16 to 24 year olds on Universal Credit, who are at risk of long-term unemployment.
BAE Systems said it is “committed to creating high quality training and job opportunities for young people and we are a proud supporter of the Movement to Work programme, which provides work experience for young people not in employment or training”.
In total, more than 600 young people have undertaken placements with the business and in 2019, 80% of those completing placements went on to continue their training or secure permanent employment, including 33 who secured roles in our business.
It recently announced that in 2021 it will recruit more than 850 apprentices and 400 graduates, the highest intake in a single year. It will also offer more than 200 industrial placements and summer internships.
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