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National Apprenticeship Week: Thales opens new technology apprentice roles in the UK

To celebrate National Apprenticeship Week, Thales, a world leading technology company, has announced that it is bringing 15 new apprenticeship roles to the UK. Adding to the existing apprentice intake for 2021, applicants are now able to apply for the new roles with Thales, until Monday 15th February.

The new roles, with no upper age limit, present applicants with the opportunity to develop a range of expertise across Thales’ defence, technology, and engineering operations. Thales apprentices play a key role in creating innovative solutions to meet some of the UK’s greatest challenges, supporting the country’s prosperity. Applicants can expect to be involved from day one in developing the latest ground-breaking technology, activating maritime projects that will shape future industry developments.

The new vacancies are focused on the manufacturing sector, with Level 2 and Level 4 roles available in Templecombe and Level 2 roles available in Belfast.

With the extension of the Thales apprenticeship programme during National Apprenticeship Week, we are increasing on our commitment to innovation in the UK. I look forward to welcoming our new intake of apprentices in the coming months, with the confidence that each one of them will play a key role in realising the UK’s potential at this vital point in time. 

Eloise Allen, Head of Early Careers Resourcing, Thales in the UK

Building skills for the future

Thales’s apprentices benefit from on-the-job learning and the chance to work with the latest technologies, while receiving support from a dedicated mentor in the applicant’s chosen field. In addition, Thales provides all its apprentices with a clear pathway to achieving an accredited college course, enabling the employee to balance paid work with study. Many of the positions available provide candidates with one day per week to complete college studies, as they work towards a diploma in their selected field. 

Throughout 2021, Thales is set to recruit 58 apprentices in total within the UK, with positions available in Glasgow, Belfast, London, Doncaster, Crawley, Cheadle Heath, Cambridge, Bury St. Edmunds, Templecombe, Reading, Bristol, and Birmingham. Committed to finding the most talented young workers, Thales offers its apprentices a number of different career paths that reflect the wide and varied nature of its operations – with opportunities to work on some of the biggest projects in the UK – from rail and aerospace through to cyber-security and defence.

George Stewart, Bangor, Northern Ireland, started his Manufacturing Engineering Apprenticeship with Thales at the age of 43, commenting: “The program is benefiting me through all the new skills I am learning, the people I am meeting, and the education which I am getting at college. This is something I had wanted for a few years, enabling me to become a STEM Ambassador since joining Thales as an apprentice.”

Meanwhile, Declan Hinds, who joined the Thales team in Manchester as a Project Planning Apprentice, explained: “I’ve been able to experience some amazing things, from representing Thales at the House of Commons at a parliamentary reception, to an overnight expedition on the top of Scafell Pike in the Lake District. I’m gaining real industry experience during my apprenticeship and qualifications along the way.”

For more information on the specific roles available please see the Thales apprenticeships webpage, here.

About Thales

Thales is a global technology leader in the Aerospace, Transportation and Defence & Security markets. In 2019, the company generated revenues of €18.4 billion with 80,000 employees in 68 countries. With its 30,000 engineers and researchers, Thales has a unique capability to design, develop and deploy equipment, systems and services that meet the most complex security requirements. Thales has an exceptional international footprint, working with customers and local partners around the world.

Thales in the UK is a team of over 7,000 experts, including 4,500 highly skilled engineers, located across 9 key UK sites.

Each year Thales invests over £575 million into its UK supply chain, working with over 2,000 companies. They are dedicated to research and technology, working with partners to invest over £130m+ in R&D in the UK annually.

With a heritage of over 130 years, Thales in the UK understands the importance of developing skills for the future, which is why they have over 400 apprentices and graduates across the UK. Thales is committed to supporting its people, and continuously developing talent, and highly skilled experts.

Thales helps its customers think faster and act smarter. Whatever it takes.