We have opened applications for our 2026 apprentice intake as we unveil the recruitment of a record number of graduates and apprentices across our UK business.
As part of our commitment to developing emerging talent, around 1,600 roles have been created across the 2025/26 period as we ramp up investing in the next generation of talent to support national and international defence.
We’ve created 750 emerging talent career roles across the UK in 2025, with 850expected in 2026. We are investing in the next generation of talent to support national and international defence, engineering excellence, and digital transformation.
The 2025 intake comprised 500 apprenticeships and 250 graduate roles across our major UK sites, spanning traditional trades such as welding, mechanical and electrical fitting, and fabrication, alongside cutting-edge digital disciplines including data analytics and digital manufacturing, with their performance helping to fuel our growth.
These opportunities reflect our role as a modern defence and engineering organisation that blends heritage skills with future-focused capabilities.
“Our graduate and apprentice programmes are designed to equip professionals with the skills to thrive in a rapidly changing world,” said David Lockwood, our CEO. “Whether it’s building warships, maintaining submarines, or developing secure communications systems, our apprentices and graduates play a vital role in delivering programmes of national importance.”
Opportunities across our core sectors
Our graduate and apprentice roles span our core sectors: Marine, Nuclear, Land, and Aviation, and within our corporate functions. Apprentices and graduates have the opportunity to contribute to programmes such as the maintenance and upgrade of advanced naval platforms, the support of military vehicle fleets, and the provision of aircraft maintenance and emergency response services. These roles offer hands-on experience with some of the most complex and critical engineering challenges in the UK.
Driving prosperity through the Defence Dividend
Our recruitment drive is part of our broader contribution to the UK’s Defence Industrial Strategy, which aims to strengthen sovereign capabilities and stimulate economic growth. According to independent research, we have contributed £4.3 billion to UK GDP in FY2024 and support 67,000 jobs nationwide.
Our Defence Dividend is being felt across the country, with significant regional recruitment in:
- Scotland – supporting naval and nuclear programmes, with hundreds of new roles across HMNB Clyde, our Rosyth facility and other key sites.
- South West England – including major investment in Bristol and Devonport, with expanded opportunities in nuclear, marine and land.
We are also investing in regional regeneration, including relocating over 2,000 staff to Plymouth City Centre as part of our Defence Dividend Blueprint.
A modern organisation for a changing world
Our approach to recruitment reflects our commitment to diversity, inclusion, and innovation. We launched pre-apprenticeship schemes, gamified recruitment tools, and outreach programmes to widen access and attract talent from underrepresented groups.
From submarines beneath the waves to secure communications in space, we offer a career that makes a difference. Applications for the 2026 apprentice intake that are open can be accessed via our Early Careers website.