February 13, 2026 at 12:01 AM
Bristol's apprentices celebrated as the future of the defence industry
Defence apprentices celebrated for National Apprenticeship week as Defence Minister visits Babcock International to witness the future of defence manufacturing.
Defence Minister celebrates National Apprenticeship Week with visit to Babcock in Bristol. 4% growth means defence supported 25,000 apprenticeship roles nationally in 2025, with the Armed Forces among the top providers. Biggest defence skills investment in decades as £182 million package creates well-paid roles from cyber security to submarine engineering.
Applications to become one of the five Defence Technical Excellence Colleges closes on the 16th of February. Bristol’s apprentices have been celebrated as the high-skilled future of the UK defence industry, marking National Apprenticeship Week. Minister for Defence Readiness and Industry Luke Pollard MP visited Babcock’s Bristol site to meet apprentices who are learning specialist skills including welding and see first-hand how the region’s defence firms are investing in the next generation of talent.