Intermediate Apprentice Submarines Caulking / Burning Barrow

What you will be doing

As a Caulking Apprentice, you will be involved in a variety of different tasks, primarily around plate preparation and metal removal. This role is broken down into four areas which are Gouging, Grinding, Burning and Tank Testing)

The Caulking trade is progressively adopting increasing levels of mechanisation and automation technology. As a Caulker you will learn to operate tractor mounted oxy-fuel burning equipment, arc-air and plasma gouging equipment, and milling systems. In addition was already undertake highly specialised robotic cutting and gouging processes. This leads into the programming, remote operation and production management of robotic processes on major structural components, essential for the manufacture of our submarines.

Gouging has been designed for carbon based metals and is used to remove metal, generally to prepare materials before welding is carried out. In carbon-arc gouging, an electric arc at the end of a consumable carbon rod melts the metal, and a continuous blast of compressed air blows the molten metal away

Grinding is used to dress areas to the correct size and to prepare weld joints so the required quality can be achieved. Grinding is also used to remove weld profiles prior to inspection.

Burning is used to cut steel to correct sizes prior to fabrication. This process uses oxygen and propane to heat the steel up to a molten state and then a jet of additional oxygen used to cut through the steel.

Tank Testing is used to confirm the integrity of the tanks. These are tested by blanking all holes into the tank and then using air or water to raise the pressure within the tank. You will be trained to then inspect the tank boundaries for leaks.

Overview of business unit

Our Submarines business has been safely delivering world class submarines to the UK Royal Navy for more than a century.

The Astute class will equip the Royal Navy with its largest and most capable generation of attack submarines. We are responsible for the design, build, test and commissioning of these state-of-the-art vessels. In total, seven boats will make up the fleet, each weighing a mighty 7,400 tonnes.

Dreadnought is the successor to the Vanguard class of nuclear deterrent submarines. We will deliver four submarines to the Royal Navy, with the first submarine entering service in the early 2030s. Dreadnought is widely considered to be one of the world’s most complex engineering challenges.

We have sites in Barrow-in-Furness, Filton, Frimley, Ash Vale, Broad Oak and Weymouth, and we pride ourselves on employing the best professionals around. Join us and you’ll be part of something important; something you can be proud of.

We’re looking for people who are passionate about delivering excellence and supporting some of the world’s most significant aerospace organisations.

We believe in investing in our people and inspiring continual innovation in our business. Developing and using the latest technology to compete with the world’s best is at the heart of what we do.  Providing world-class training, support and development to our people means we inspire the very best talent to achieve great things.

Benefits

You’ll receive benefits including a competitive pension scheme, enhanced annual leave allowance and a Company contributed Share Incentive Plan. You’ll also have access to additional benefits such as flexible working, an employee assistance programme, Cycle2work and employee discounts – you may also be eligible for an annual incentive.  

Team

Improving the future and protecting lives is an ambitious mission, but it’s what we do at BAE Systems. A career here means using your passion and ingenuity to defend national security with breakthrough technology and intelligence solutions. It’s rewarding work that truly makes a difference. And as you tackle critical projects, you’ll work alongside a supportive team – driven by a shared ambition to protect what really matters. At BAE Systems, you’ll find an extraordinary career where you can realize your true potential.  

Why BAE Systems?

This is a place where you’ll be able to make a real difference. You’ll be part of an inclusive culture that values diversity, rewards integrity and merit, and where you’ll be empowered to fulfil your potential. We welcome candidates from all backgrounds and particularly from sections of the community who are currently under represented within our industry, including women, ethnic minorities, people with disabilities and LGBTQ+ individuals.

We also want to make sure that our recruitment processes are as inclusive as possible. If you have a disability or health condition (for example dyslexia, autism, an anxiety disorder etc.) that may affect your performance in certain assessment types, please speak to your recruiter about potential reasonable adjustments.

We also provide the opportunity to get involved in projects outside of your primary remit. We encourage you to seek a stretch project in which you’ll gain different experiences. With our huge portfolio of products and our multinational presence, there are opportunities to get involved in something different around every corner. Additionally, we encourage involvement in community projects, STEM initiatives and support groups (called employee resource groups) which all provide valuable learning and development experiences that you may not have access to in your day-to-day role. To ensure we retain our talented people, we offer a blend of sponsorship, additional support in career development planning and a portfolio of high potential development programmes.  

Our mission is to build a strong, diverse, adaptable, and high performing work force that will develop and grow our future business. We believe that everyone has talent, and at the heart of our talent management approach our ambition is to be recognised as the UK’s top employer in the defence and security sector for valuing diversity and inclusion.

‍