Farnborough-based BAE Systems has announced that it will take on a record 142 higher- and degree-level apprentices as part of a wider recruitment of more than 680 apprentices.

For the first time, the company will also offer a masters-level apprenticeship, with 18 employees due to start the Systems Engineering Level 7 course at Cranfield University later this year.

The BAE Systems apprenticeship scheme is open for applications until the end of February. Successful candidates will join the company’s three- to five-year training programmes, working towards designing, building and supporting some of the world’s most advanced defence, aerospace and security solutions.

Half of the 680 apprentices joining the business this year will be based at its submarine design and manufacturing site at Barrow-in-Furness shipyard in Cumbria, delivering the remaining Astute-class attack submarines and developing and building the new Successor submarines.

Nigel Whitehead, group managing director (programmes and support), said: “BAE Systems is a company with great ambitions; nurturing a high-calibre workforce is vital to our future. We take great pride in the record number of higher-level apprenticeships on offer this year and the introduction of master-level degrees for our existing employees.

Our apprentices enjoy not only high-quality training but also real hands-on experience — developing, building and supporting the cutting-edge products that will safeguard our national security in years to come.”

For more details of BAE Systems apprentice vacancies, visit the Web site (www.baesystems.com/apprentices).