Babcock Launches Joint Skills MoU with Fife and Forth Valley Colleges to Boost Scotland’s Defence Workforce

Babcock International Group (Babcock), the defence company, Fife College and Forth Valley College are to accelerate the development of Scotland’s defence and advanced manufacturing workforce through a new joint skills pact outlined in a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) signed by the three organisations. 

The agreement strengthens the long-standing relationship between the organisations and comes as demand for engineering, digital and technical skills grows across Scotland’s strategically important defence and industrial sectors.

During Scottish Apprenticeship Week, the organisations reflected on the MoU recently signed at Babcock’s multi-milestone Type 31 event at its Rosyth facility, highlighting their joint ambition to provide high-quality, accessible apprenticeship opportunities.

Luke Pollard MP, Minister for Defence Readiness and Industry, joined the event to mark the occasion and said: 

"This partnership demonstrates exactly what Scotland needs to ensure that its defence and advanced manufacturing sectors continue to thrive. By bringing together industry and academia, this joint skills pact will create meaningful opportunities for people across Fife and the Forth Valley, while strengthening the skills pipeline that underpins our shared security and national resilience. This is not just a partnership, but a great opportunity for young people in the area – opening the door to new opportunities"

Babcock, Scotland’s largest engineering employer, already works closely with both institutions, which have provided engineering and technical training for employers across Fife and the Forth Valley areas for decades. The new agreement will boost the upskilling and reskilling of local people in critical STEM competencies and build the talent pipeline needed for national and international defence programmes based at Rosyth.

Gareth Hedicker, Chief Operating Officer for Babcock’s Marine Sector, said:

"This joint skills pact represents a major milestone in our collective commitment to build Scotland’s future workforce. By combining our industrial expertise with the colleges’ proven capability in technical education, we are creating clear, long-term pathways into high-value careers that support national defence and advanced manufacturing programmes."

Kenny MacInnes, Principal for Forth Valley College, said:

"Forth Valley College has a well‑established reputation in engineering, digital and technical skills, built through years of working closely with industry partners. By collaborating with employers such as Babcock to understand their evolving needs, we create innovative training solutions that support a skilled workforce for the future. Defence and advanced manufacturing are critical growth sectors for Scotland, and this collaboration demonstrates exactly how effective partnerships between colleges and industry can drive economic impact locally and nationally. We are delighted to be part of this partnership and to play our role in helping these vital industries thrive."

Jim Metcalf, Principal for Fife College, said:

"This strategic agreement is a significant step in strengthening Scotland’s defence and advanced manufacturing workforce. At Fife College, we are proud of our long-standing partnership with Babcock and the role we play in developing skilled engineers, technicians and digital specialists alongside our partners at Forth Valley College. Reinforcing this partnership is a key pillar of our strategy to support defence and advanced manufacturing skills at Rosyth and the Forth Green Freeport. By aligning our curriculum even more closely with industry need, we are creating pathways into high-value careers and boosting the regional economy."