Airbus (www.airbus.com) has taken on a record number of new apprentices at its Broughton site — surpassing last year’s bumper total — with 155 craft and undergraduate apprentices joining the aerospace company’s site in Flintshire and 37 apprentices starting work at its Filton base.

In addition, its graduate programme welcomed 46 new trainee appointments in Filton and 16 in Broughton.

Paul McKinlay, head of the Broughton plant, said: “An Airbus apprenticeship is an excellent way for talented young people to start their career while carrying on their academic studies, gaining invaluable work experience and earning a good salary at the same time.

"The company benefits too by attracting the best young talent and harnessing their skills, enthusiasm and abilities. Our apprentices and graduates bring new ideas and fresh approaches to the challenges we face in this exciting industry, and I’m sure our new starters this week will go on to have long and fruitful careers here at Airbus.”

Gavin Jones, head of early careers at Airbus in the UK, said: “An apprenticeship at Airbus offers paid on-the-job training, while allowing people to continue their education to either national diploma or university degree level.

“The value of our apprenticeship and graduate programmes speaks for itself, with so many going on to successful careers in aerospace and aviation.

“Indeed, many of Airbus’s senior managers started their careers through our apprenticeship scheme.”