Babcock International Group has signed a new skills pact with Fife College and Forth Valley College to expand training opportunities for Scotland’s defense and advanced manufacturing sectors.
The memorandum of understanding aims to accelerate apprenticeships, upskilling, and reskilling programs for engineering, digital, and technical roles, supporting both national defense programs and international contracts based at Babcock’s Rosyth facility.
The agreement reflects decades of collaboration between the defense company and the two colleges, formalizing a long-term commitment to align education with industry needs.
Luke Pollard, Minister for Defence Readiness and Industry, highlighted the partnership’s potential to create career pathways for young people in Fife and the Forth Valley while bolstering Scotland’s critical STEM workforce.
“By bringing together industry and academia, this joint skills pact will create meaningful opportunities for people across Fife and the Forth Valley, while strengthening the skills pipeline that underpins our shared security and national resilience,” he said.
Expanding Scotland’s Defense Workforce
Scotland has steadily increased investment in developing its defense and advanced manufacturing workforce over the past several years.
Babcock International has been at the forefront, launching an initiative at its Rosyth shipyard in 2024 to create over 1,000 jobs, including 400 apprenticeships, supporting the Type 31 frigate program.
The company also expanded recruitment for apprentices and graduates, adding nearly 1,500 early-career positions across Scotland and the UK, targeting critical engineering and technical roles.
BAE Systems complemented these efforts by training more than 6,800 apprentices and graduates in 2025, with roughly 250 of these recruits based in Scotland, directly supporting shipbuilding and naval defense programs.
In Glasgow, the opening of a Shipbuilding Academy provides hands-on training for apprentices and early-career professionals, aligning education with the technical demands of modern naval construction.
Government initiatives have reinforced these industry-led efforts, including funding for a specialist welding skills center in Glasgow to support Scotland’s submarine and shipbuilding projects.
