A BAE Systems and VT Group joint venture
In the Community
BVT Surface Fleet plays a significant role in the communities in which we are based and we are proud of our commitment to advance the shipbuilders of the future.
We currently boast the largest apprenticeship scheme in Scotland, with over 500 apprentices taken on in the last five years, complimented by 140 apprentices and over 40 adult trainees in Portsmouth.
BVT has close relationships with our local communities, through long associations with schools, clubs and charities.
We pride ourselves on running a very successful school's ambassador programme, taking information into local schools to encourage both primary and secondary school children to consider engineering and a career in the industry.
BVT also supports a number of schools and technical colleges complementing studies with frequent master classes in mathematics and other engineering related courses.
The Into Work Project is part of a local Portsmouth initiative in partnership with the Confederation of Ship Engineering Unions (CSEU) and Job Centre Plus, for the long term unemployed. Candidates receive a five-week course of mentoring and assessment for the essential areas of Literacy, Key Skills and ITC at our onsite BVT Learning Centre. The programme encourages those who are eligible to work the chance to sample and in some cases gain a career opportunity in a preferred profession.
Our company is committed to donating both time and money to local charities. Recent charitable activity includes building a play ship for a local community group, which has been erected in a park in Glasgow, and renovating three barges for the Unity Trust, which are being used as holiday accommodation and social spaces for young people from disadvantaged areas in Scotland.
We have also been involved with building the canoes for the high-profile ‘Cockleshell Heroes’ project, where Royal Marine Commandos have honoured the heroic exploits of their wartime comrades in a recreation of a famous commando raid during World War II.
Throughout the year BVT joins-up with the Royal Navy and Ministry of Defence at Portsmouth Naval Base to support various local and national charity and fundraising activities. These include the annual charity fun run that takes place around the base and 'Operation Christmas Child', donating over 320 boxes to children in desperate circumstances overseas.
