Education

Finmeccanica in the UK is committed to maintaining its skilled workforce and recognises the national need to expand the UK’s pool of engineering resources. Finmeccanica, as a group, operates a world-wide education programme aimed at encouraging young people throughout their academic careers to take an interest in science and technology. In the UK, this process is managed through our operating companies.

In the UK, we have strategic partnerships with colleges and universities to develop engineering research capabilities and improve graduate recruitment. Employees visit schools in the UK to help with engineering projects and to give careers advice. Our operating companies are one of the largest employers of engineering apprentices in the UK. These give young people the opportunity to gain qualifications through on-the job training. This benefits the nation by ensuring a strong skills set in the future.

OFSTED, the Office for Standards in Education, has given Finmeccanica’s apprenticeship scheme top marks, grading Finmeccanica as “outstanding” in July 2009. OFSTED was set up as a regulatory body by the UK Government to inspect learning providers across the UK in receipt of Government funding and has a fierce reputation for rigour and scrutiny. Its remit is to inspect and regulate to achieve excellence in the education and skills training for learners of all ages – especially young people.

At the time of inspection, 152 advanced apprentices were following engineering programmes and 22 learners were working towards apprenticeships and advanced apprenticeships in business, administration and law. In addition, 30 apprentices were undertaking apprenticeships in Scotland.

Those employers running apprenticeship schemes and in receipt of Government funding are inspected to ensure:

• Service improvement
• Services focus on the interests of the learners
• Services are efficient, effective and promote value-for-money

Its value to a business is to help ensure we maintain an excellent offering under the scope of our contract and continuously improve the programmes.

Since 2007, the National Employer Service of the Learning Skills Council has funded Finmeccanica UK to provide apprenticeship training. The Finmeccanica companies providing apprenticeship training have adopted a “grow the engineer”, positioning engineering as an attractive career option, and themselves as progressive employers. Off-the job training (academic learning) is provided by local Colleges and Universities through key partnerships set up.

Finmeccanica UK recently worked with The National Employer Service to produce this video profiling Finmeccanica UK and its group companies' contribution towards training and apprenticeship schemes.