Rolls-Royce to double apprentice training facility

Rolls-Royce, the global power systems company, is to develop a new, state-of-the-art apprentice academy, which will double the number of apprentices it can train each year.

The academy, which will be constructed at the Rolls-Royce Learning and Career Development Centre in Derby, will enable the Group to recruit up to 200 additional apprentices annually to train for work in its supply chain and the manufacturing industry in the East Midlands.

These trainees will access Rolls-Royce’s world leading apprenticeship programme and will be equipped with the advanced skills required by modern, high value added businesses. The academy and additional Apprenticeship training programme is being developed with £6 million of financial support from the Department of Business, Innovation and Skills.

Sir John Rose, Rolls-Royce, Chief Executive said: “A highly skilled workforce is essential to high value added manufacturing. This expansion will raise standards in our supply chain and among SMEs who do not have the capacity or experience to develop their own apprentice training. I am grateful to the Government for their support and delighted that Rolls-Royce can offer greater opportunities to the many young men and women who wish to pursue a career in engineering”.

Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, Vince Cable said: “Apprenticeships are central to the Government’s drive to rebalance our economy and equip businesses with the skills they need to deliver sustained growth. That’s why we are funding a greater number of advanced apprenticeships, designed and delivered in partnership with industry. A study published today by my Department shows that apprenticeships are the most valuable form of FE training and produce a return for society of £40 for every £1 of Government investment. “Rolls-Royce has a proud reputation for delivering some of the best apprenticeships in the business, setting a standard that firms from all sectors should emulate. By supporting an enhanced number of apprenticeships, that will also enable smaller firms within the supply chain to recruit highly trained staff, the company is making an invaluable contribution to the performance of its sector and the strength of the wider community.”

The Rolls-Royce apprentice scheme in the UK has been awarded Beacon Status by Ofsted, and is rated as “Outstanding”. It has a 98% retention rate. 90% of Rolls-Royce apprentices go on to achieve higher qualifications, half to degree level. Rolls-Royce has been training apprentices for over 100 years and one third of the company’s senior UK managers began their careers as apprentices.

1. Rolls-Royce is a world-leading provider of power systems and services for use on land, at sea and in the air, and has established a strong position in global markets - civil aerospace, defence aerospace, marine and energy.
2. As a result of this strategy, Rolls-Royce has a broad customer base comprising more than 500 airlines, 4,000 corporate and utility aircraft and helicopter operators, 160 armed forces, more than 2,500 marine customers, including 70 navies, and energy customers in nearly 120 countries, with an installed base of 54,000 gas turbines.
3. Annual underlying revenues were over £10.8 billion in 2010, of which more than half came from the provision of services. The firm and announced order book stood at £59.2 billion at 31 December 2010, providing visibility of future levels of activity.
4. Rolls-Royce employs over 39,000 skilled people in offices, manufacturing and service facilities in over 50 countries. Over 11,000 of these employees are engineers.
5. In 2010, Rolls-Royce invested £923 million on research and development, two thirds of which had the objective of further improving the environmental performance of its products, in particular reducing emissions.
6. Rolls-Royce supports a global network of 28 University Technology Centres, which connect the company’s engineers with the forefront of scientific research.
7. The Group has a strong commitment to apprentice and graduate recruitment and to further developing employee skills.