Airbus set to take on record number of apprentices this year

Airbus in the UK plans to take on a record number of young people through its apprentice, intern and graduate programmes in 2019.

The aerospace giant is holding an apprentice open day this Saturday, 1 December at its North Factory in Broughton, North Wales, where it builds composite wings for its A350 aeroplane.

Gavin Jones, Head of Early Careers in the UK, said: “As a global leader in the Aerospace industry, remaining competitive and attracting the best young talent from the UK is a major priority. Our open day is a great opportunity for young people to learn about our benchmark apprenticeship programmes and the career paths they support.”

Airbus in the UK took on 479 young people on its early-careers programmes in 2018 – hailed as the largest number in decades in a statement earlier this year.

Today’s announcement represents a 34% increase on last year in apprentices, graduates and interns across its commercial aircraft, defence and space, and helicopter divisions.

Paul McKinlay, Head of the Broughton Plant, said: “Our apprentices, interns and graduates are integral to our business model, so we hope people will take the opportunity to come along on Saturday to learn more about our business and what we can achieve together.”

The company offers two types of apprenticeships – graduate apprenticeships where successful applicants have their university tuition fees paid on top of their salary, and craft apprenticeships, where individuals work for the company while gaining a National Diploma qualification.

Apprenticeships are available at both the Airbus Filton and Broughton sites.

Trevor Higgs, Head of Landing Gear Centre of Competence at Filton and Head of Engineering UK, said: “We offer excellent apprenticeship opportunities in Filton for those wanting a paid-for engineering degree, while gaining invaluable work experience that can lead to a rewarding career.”

The commercial aircraft apprenticeship open day this weekend starts at 1.30pm on Saturday. There is no need to book a place, just turn up at the North Factory in Broughton on the day to find out more.