THE hard work of aeronautical apprentices was recognised at a special ceremony held at Anglesey's RAF base.

Ten Babcock apprentices celebrated a significant milestone in their careers during a graduation ceremony held at RAF Valley.

Station Commander, Group Captain Chris Moon, opened the ceremony on Tuesday, November 5. It saw Neal Misell, managing director of Military Aviation, present apprentices with Level 3 NVQ and BTEC Extended Diplomas in Aeronautical Engineering.

They were watched by their mentors, colleagues and family members who were given a tour of RAF Valley after the ceremony.

Neal said: “The event was a great opportunity to recognise the hard work of our apprentices, and a fantastic celebration of the talented individuals.

"It is great to see the enthusiasm of the younger generation and how they have fast become valued members of our team at RAF Valley. Addressing the national shortage of aeronautical engineers is a principal focus for Babcock.

Babcock’s Paul Oliver, Hawk General Manager said: "

“With our partners at Grŵp Llandrillo Menai, we aim to significantly grow the number of apprentices at RAF Valley.

It’s great to see talented, hardworking individuals come through this scheme, sustaining and growing a strong aeronautical workforce.”

The apprentices completed the scheme in August 2019 and started permanent employment with Babcock at RAF Valley on September 1.

Babcock and Grŵp Llandrillo Menai have plans to develop the current aeronautical apprenticeship scheme beyond 2020, expanding elements of the training to meet needs at RAF Valley.

.