25 Mar 2024

Babcock supports Government’s national endeavour to secure critical nuclear skills

NE190030-00360 Babcock, Royal Navy, HMNB CLYDE, Engineering. Promotional imagery at 10 bearth infront of V Boat, Imagery is for Babcock's roadshow at both HMNB CLYDE and Westminster. for use within the Babcock CASD50 campeign. Images show Babcock Project Engineer Emily Lennox and The Royal Navy's Babcock Fleet Programmes Project Support Officer Lieutenant Paul Ross interacting with an remotely opperated vehicle. Emily Lennox

Babcock welcomes the Government’s announcements today on the national endeavour to secure the critical nuclear skills needed to protect our nation’s security and deliver our clean energy ambitions.

Playing a critical role across the nuclear enterprise, we deliver nationally important programmes through our defence and civil nuclear businesses.  We are a key industrial partner on the Nuclear Skills Task Force, which has today delivered the 10-year National Nuclear Strategy Plan for Skills (NNSPS) developed to secure the specialist skills needed to deliver the national nuclear enterprise, today and into the future.

Providing full-time executive support to the government-led task force, we are taking a leading role in the development of a south west regional hub collaboration, as well as actively supporting Destination Nuclear, a first ever national nuclear communications and recruitment campaign.

In addition, last year we launched the Babcock Skills Academy, which focuses on addressing the current and future nuclear skills demand we need for our programmes, as well as the wider civil and defence nuclear enterprise.  This includes a focus on submarine support and the critical nuclear skills required to perform deep submarine maintenance.  More than 2,000 people will pass through the Skills Academy in its first three years, and a further 10,000 over the following five years.

David Lockwood, CEO Babcock International and member of the Nuclear Skills Executive Council, said, “This is a fantastic opportunity for the UK to deliver a stronger nuclear industry that will contribute to the resilience of the UK’s independent deterrent and will support the UK’s energy security ambitions and net zero targets. As well as providing bed-rock support for the ambitious development required across industry and government for the AUKUS programme. 

“Babcock is proud of the leading role it is taking in driving forward initiatives to retain and grow the critical mass of nuclear skills we need today and tomorrow.  We have a keen focus on our major nuclear sites in the South West of England and in Scotland and are determined to leverage the benefits of the NNSPS, with our customers and other industry partners, across the broader communities we serve.”

From sustaining the entirety of the UK’s submarine fleet, to supporting the operation and build of nuclear power plants, Babcock operates across civil and naval nuclear, performing critical roles in nationally important programmes where nuclear plays a key contribution in protecting our nation and ensuring energy security.