BAE Systems announces new submarine construction training facility

UK defense company BAE Systems announced on Monday a new £25 million training facility at Barrow-in-Furness that will provide a learning environment for an estimated 1,000 craft and technical apprentices currently in training.

Defence Secretary Michael Fallon today met apprentices working on Britain’s new submarines who will benefit from the investment.

“This investment demonstrates the benefits that our growing defence budget brings for highly skilled jobs in the North West and across the country,” Fallon said. “It will ensure we have people with the skills necessary to deliver one of the most complex programmes in the world that will help modernise our fleet of nuclear submarines.”

The new modern facility is due to open next year and will include a teaching block, classrooms, offices, craft workshops and welfare facilities.

It is planned that the facility will include to-scale ‘submarine mock-up sections’ which will allow apprentices to gain hands-on experience in a controlled environment and help them develop skills working to the tolerances required to build submarines.

“The design and build of a nuclear-powered submarine is one of the world’s most complex and technically demanding engineering challenges,” Tony Johns, managing director of BAE Systems submarines, said.

“It’s vital we have right people with the right skills to deliver these programmes and this investment underlines our commitment to the future. The new facility will provide a modern learning environment to supplement the training our apprentices already receive.”