Babcock International has been ranked 25th in The Sunday Times Top 100 Apprenticeship Employers for 2025, a prestigious recognition of the UK’s top organisations delivering outstanding apprenticeship programmes.
As a business built around people, Babcock plays a vital role across multiple sites, locations, and communities, supporting national defence and economic resilience. In its Delivering the Defence Dividend report, the company outlines its long-term commitment to developing people, strengthening communities, and building the critical skills base essential to the UK’s security—both now and in the future. Apprenticeships remain central to this mission.
The company’s rise in the rankings reflects a year of significant growth and investment. In 2024, Babcock welcomed its largest-ever early careers intake, including more than 400 apprentices across a wide range of high-demand disciplines.
Babcock continues to widen access to careers in defence by breaking down traditional barriers to employment. Its expanded pre-apprenticeship programme and the use of gamified recruitment tools are helping attract a more diverse pool of candidates, ensuring that more people can access meaningful careers and high-quality development opportunities.
In response to the growing importance of space and cyber security, Babcock has launched new apprenticeship programmes in space systems engineering and cyber security engineering, enhancing future capability in these rapidly evolving domains. The opening of a new welding apprenticeship school in Bristol further supports skills development in critical manufacturing areas.
Looking ahead, Babcock plans to launch eight new apprenticeship programmes as part of its 2025 campaign. This expansion is expected to significantly increase its annual intake and attract a broader range of early careers talent, reinforcing its long-term workforce strategy.
Commenting on the achievement, Louise Atkinson, Chief People Officer at Babcock, said: “We are absolutely thrilled to see our ranking in The Sunday Times Top 100 Apprenticeship Employers for 2025 rise so significantly. This recognition is a testament to our ongoing commitment to nurturing talent and fostering a culture of excellence.
“Our apprenticeships are vital to our critical defence programmes and reflect our broader mission to positively impact the communities we serve. By focusing on developing a skilled, inclusive, and diverse workforce, we are strengthening our organisation and supporting economic growth. We’re excited about the future and proud to expand opportunities for more people to build meaningful, long-term careers.”
For more information, visit Babcock’s apprenticeship opportunities page.
For more articles like this, visit our Innovation channel
