Babcock launches Skills Academy to meet the challenges of tomorrow

Maritime August 7, 2023

Babcock, the international defence company, has launched the Babcock Skills Academy, to enhance its workforce’s capabilities and ensure they are equipped to meet the evolving challenges its customers will face in the future.

The Skills Academy uses a hybrid teaching model, that combines cutting-edge digital resources and hands on training, to rapidly get Babcock’s people ready to deliver the critical capabilities its customers need. Open to all employees and new recruits, the Skills Academy will operate in partnership with local education establishments and complements Babcock’s award-winning early careers programmes.

Initially launching at its Devonport facility, with a focus on submarines and critical nuclear skills, the Skills Academy’s training facilities enable learning of the complex skills required to perform deep submarine maintenance.

Underpinning Babcock’s commitment to ensure its people have the training to perform complex, mission-critical tasks, more than 2,000 people are expected to pass through the Skills Academy in its first three years, and a further 10,000 over the following five years.

By focusing on targeted learning, the Skills Academy will accelerate time to competence – in some cases by as much as 67% – compared to traditional training methods.

Dominic Kieran, Babcock Chief Executive Nuclear, said, “Our ambitious, modern and collaborative Skills Academy will deliver enhanced capability – now and in the long-term – to drive submarine availability and equip our Royal Navy customer with the assets they need to conduct their duties in the defence of our nation.

“With the largest nuclear qualified workforce in the UK, and our vast experience of supporting the UK submarine enterprise across the submarine lifecycle, we are uniquely placed to apply this extensive knowledge to our training programmes and deliver the pipeline of talent required now and in the future.

“The Babcock Skills Academy is more than just a training solution, it’s a commitment to our people, our industry and our customer – their mission is our mission.”

Following the Babcock Skills Academy launch at Devonport, the programme will then be deployed further across Babcock’s naval nuclear activity and beyond.

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Babcock International Skills Academy