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Here are 20 things you may not know about BAE Systems and apprenticeships:
• Chris Boardman, the current managing director of BAE Systems’ air sector business based here in the NW began his working life as an apprentice
• BAE Systems spends £89,000 on each apprentice during the course of their training programme
• At any one time the company has around 1,000 apprentices in training
• Typically an apprentice can expect to earn around £13,000 a year while training – but when they qualify they are looking at £22,000 to £27,000 a year
• 95 per cent of these are in engineering training
• In 2011 BAE Systems recruited 291 apprentices to its UK businesses
• In 2012 it will recruit almost the same number – 265
• The Company’s investment in apprentices is just part of an annual £79m investment in education and training
• BAE Systems has among the highest apprentice completion rates in any sector – a recent study showed this stood at around 90 per cent
• Each year over 20 apprentices recruited by BAE Systems go on to take degrees
• In 2010 BAE Systems was award an Ofsted Grade 1 for outstanding apprentice training
• In 2011 the Company won the National Apprentice Award’s Macro Employer of the Year
• Many of the Company’s apprentices go on to become ambassadors helping to encourage others into apprenticeships – some, like former apprentice Rachael Hoyle, travel the world helping to spread the message
• A team of BAE Systems apprentices from the NW this year helped pioneer the development of new medical equipment to help wounded soldiers speed their recovery rates in hospital
• Three quarters of apprentices typically take craft apprenticeships – the rest taking higher level technical apprentices
• BAE Systems apprentices are often to be found working on some of the fastest and most technically advanced aircraft in the world – including,Typhoon, Taranis and the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter
• The Company’s apprenticeship programmes last between three and four years leading to an NVQ level 3
• Many apprentices go on to take HNC and HND qualifications
• BAE Systems apprentices recently appeared on BBC’s The One Show with Strictly Come Dancing star John Sergeant
• BAE Systems has designed a special course for adult trainees to work at RAF bases helping test and maintain aircraft – this year it will train 64 adult apprentices – many retraining and learning new skills for the first time
Many people will know that BAE Systems, which employs the majority of its staff here in the North West, is a big supporter of apprentices – but not many will know just far this support goes.