KOFAC is focused on promoting the skills and careers opportunities in the submarine and warship industrial base, including supply chain businesses and achievements of the workforce. It also supports the development of the skills needs associated with the three-nation AUKUS submarine partnership.
Through its trade union members it is a strong advocate of advancing ways of enabling young people from an early age to consider careers in the industry. It has links with the Furness Education and Skills Partnership's work bringing schools and businesses in the supply chain together and with the Furness College. It also advocates development of new ways to enable people who are "good with their hands" to be able to progress careers in the industry.
KOFAC has good direct engagement with Ministers and with Bae Systems on skills and training matters. The trade union members of KOFAC have daily engagement with employers on skills evolution of their members.
The next sections highlight national submarine industrial base skills policy and local focus.
National Defence Nuclear Skills and Recruitment Policy
The Defence Command Paper, Delivering the UK's Nuclear Deterrent as a National Endeavour" of March 2024 sets out how the UK is significantly expanding its nuclear workforce to meet he growing demand of the defence nuclear enterprise future civil nuclear energy needs.
The full extent of the skills focus of the the Command Paper can be seen at https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/defence-nuclear-enterprise-command-paper
It highlights a dependency on trades such as welders, electricians, mechanical fitters, warhead component manufacturers and assemblers alongside a need to grow the number of project management, legal and commercial staff.
The Number of Jobs Involved
The MOD estimates that 42,000 jobs across the UK are supported by the Dreadnought programme, either directly or indirectly. Around half of these jobs may be in the North West of England making a significant contribution to the Government’s Growth and Prosperity priorities.
A "Destination Nuclear" (DN) promotional campaign involving a sector portal is being used nationally to attract and retain the required skills enabling people to see the range of jobs apprentice and graduate intake opportunities on offer.
The DN career Portal is at https://destinationnuclearcareersportal.co.uk/
Regional hubs are also being formed to strengthen skills collaboration in north west and south west England including between Bae Systems and Sellafield in Cumbria.
Bae Systems each year recruits apprentices and graduates, its portal for the current intake is at https://www.baesystems.com/en/careers/careers-in-the-uk/apprenticeships.
bae Systems career portal is at https://www.baesystems.com/en/careers/careers-in-the-uk
The Range of Skills Needed
BAE Systems engineers across 40 disciplines are involved in delivering the next phase of the Dreadnought programme, including: - Naval architecture; - Marine engineering; - Structural, weights and stress; - Noise and vibration; - Metallurgy and welding; - Nuclear safety and radiation shielding; - Software and systems integration
The vast majority of production staff involved in constructing the submarines under the next phase of the Dreadnought programme come from the following trades: - Steel work and welding; - Mechanical fitting; Electrical fitting; - Pipe fabrication and fitting; - Rigging and shipwrights. Continuous work is necessary to maintain trade certifications and nuclear qualifications.
Ministers in responding to Parliamentary Questions have explained why growth of manual skills is desireable............
"Dave Dougan MP: “Do we need to have an intelligence led step change to having a dual stream recruitment process for apprentices where we have those who are pursuing a career that might go somewhere and others who are looking for a vocational that may go somewhere but also might stay on the shopfloor for 35 years?” “BAE Systems manages that very well. It has so many ways into its shopfloor and so many types of different apprenticeships”
Rt Hon Ben Wallace MP, 5 July 2022, Hansard “The truth is we need both types those who want a long-term career who see themselves moving up through the company and those who want to stay on the shopfloor,” 5 July 2022, Hansard
Investment In Training Facilities
A £25 million investment in the state-of-the-art Submarines Academy for Skills and Knowledge (SASK) opened in 2018 is driving future talent programmes and provide life-long learning opportunities for Barrow's shipyard workforce. The facility boasts 10 workshops, 30 classrooms and a virtual reality suite
A new £23m university of Cumbria campus is being completed next to the SASK facility with first student entry due in September 2025. It will deliver manufacturing degrees. Student population could reach 1,400 learners per year at full capacity.
The forthcoming University of Cumbria, Barrow Campus
In Barrow town centre the shipyard is investing in new facilities to boost operational training.
The Portland Walk Campus will "inspire and enable the growing workforce to remain at the front end of programme delivery by providing a learning through experience." It will house a replica of the business on site, CYC and DDH in shop floor and office environments offering simulated environments for physical work tasks and outfit trades, materials management, lifting, with workshop and machinery, 3-d printing, digital and office environments including immersive demonstration and virtual reality delivery areas for design and engineering. Such facilities will allow employees to hone and refine skills needed by the future shipyard business.
BAE SYSTEMS is in the middle of a 2022-2027 plan costing £40 million to provide new technology to optimise design and manufacturing processes and enhance the capability of its submarines.
It is enhancing the integration of design, planning, procurement and production systems, including 3D visualisation of the submarine design, supported by a £200 million investment in IT and software. Over the next five years a further £250 million has been allocated to capital expenditure. This funding aims to:
References
https://www.baesystems.com/en/careers/careers-in-the-uk/apprenticeships
https://www.baesystems.com/en/careers/careers-in-the-uk
For further information please contact
The Secretariat, Keep Our Future Afloat,
28, Lancaster Street, Dalton in Furness LA158SD
Call: 07836 254721
Email: stuart@klosinski.co.uk
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