Defence engineering company Babcock International Group has revealed plans to create more than 1,000 new jobs at its large-scale, advanced manufacturing and shipbuilding facility in Rosyth.

It said the job creation will “support the delivery of world-class programmes” and development of its workforce capabilities. The roles will support programmes such as the Type 31 frigate design and build programme.

The new job opportunities will include 400 apprenticeships, 350 production support operatives, skilled engineers, tradespeople, and graduates.

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The company said: “Underpinning Babcock’s commitment to further develop the skills required to support customers now and in the future, over the next four years, the new job opportunities will benefit both the UK economy and local communities.”

It added: “The production support operative initiative is focused on attracting people from a range of backgrounds and experience, including those not currently in education, employment, or training, with the role centred around supporting and learning from time-served tradespeople.

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“Babcock’s latest recruits will join a state-of-the-art advanced manufacturing and digitally enabled facility that in recent decades has seen investment of more than £200 million.”

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The company noted that apprentice numbers are also increasing at its operation on the west coast of Scotland, “supporting His Majesty’s Naval Base Clyde and the UK’s submarine enterprise”. It added that apprenticeship opportunities are expected to double in 2024.

David Lockwood, chief executive of Babcock, said: “Attracting and retaining talent is essential to the future success of our business and directly benefits the local communities in which we operate.

“Continued investment in Babcock’s development programmes and facilities enables our apprentices, graduates and trainees to experience a mix of on-the-job learning in a modern, digitally led industrial environment, alongside academic training with further education partners and our own Babcock Skills Academy."

He added: “This week is Scottish Apprenticeship Week - our apprentices play a really important role in our workforces across the UK, ensuring we can sustain the technical skills needed to continue to deliver critical national defence programmes.”