BAE Systems

A woman from Barrow has been talking about moving out from behind a pharmacy counter to make nuclear submarines.

BAE Systems

Kym Bales, 29, who used to work for Boots, is one of a record number of 331 apprentices being recruited at the BAE Systems shipyard.

She has begun a higher-level apprenticeship in project management which will mean she will study for a degree, paid for by the yard, and will have career possibilities that she says were not available in the retail industry.

They release us for a day to go to university, and completely support us in our education, which is brilliant.

University as a normal entry wasn't for me, I wanted to do something when I was working as well, I went into a few different jobs, it wasn't until I had my daughter that I was really concerned about having a career and setting an example for her."

The Government says it will do all it can to support the proposed new marina village in Barrow.

The original plans, proposed more than 12 years ago, suggested land by the former docks could be used for a business park, 700 homes, a cruise ship terminal and a watersports centre.

They were put on hold when the North West Development Agency was scrapped soon after the coalition government was elected in 2010.

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The promise came in response to a question from the new Conservative MP for Barrow and Furness, Simon Fell (pictured), who said the scheme, which also needs backing from Associated British Ports and the shipyard, BAE Systems, was vital for the town's future prosperity.

The defence minister James Heappey said he had already raised the project with BAE.

My department will do all it can to support this plan."

BBC

Today's news from BAE Systems (see earlier post) that it has snapped up two businesses has pleased the market.

Shares jumped on the news this morning and have remained the FTSE 100's leading riser all day, as our chart above shows.

BAE has agreed to buy Collins Aerospace's Military Global Positioning System business for $1.925bn and Raytheon's Airborne Tactical Radios business for $275m.

Shares are now up 3.81% at 648.60.

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Defence group BAE Systems has announced two deals as it seeks to grow its electronics systems business.

It has agreed to buy Collins Aerospace's Military Global Positioning System business for $1.925bn and Raytheon's Airborne Tactical Radios business for $275m.

The deals are subject to the successful completion of the Raytheon-United Technologies Corporation (UTC) merger, as well as regulatory approval.

BAE chief executive Charles Woodburn said: "These proposed acquisitions present a unique opportunity to add high quality, technology focused businesses to our Electronics Systems sector.

"It's rare that two businesses of this quality, with such strong growth prospects and close fit to our portfolio, become available."

The National Autit Office report that criticises the nuclear submarine programme for overspends and poor contracts today may add to the point that the Ministry of Defence has failed to learn the lessons of past mistakes, but our defence correspondent Jonathan Beale says this time changes could follow.

Reuters

He says: "The criticisms will likely catch the attention of the prime minister's chief special adviser, Dominic Cummings, who wants to overhaul the way the MoD buys military equipment.

"Mr Cummings, who has been a harsh critic of defence procurement, has already held talks with Defence Secretary Ben Wallace about ways of tackling waste."

Mr Wallace recently admitted there was a shortfall in the department's budget.

In a statement the Ministry of Defence said it was carefully examining the conclusions of the report but was committed to strengthening the management of its nuclear programme.

Barrow's new Conservative MP says it's "completely unacceptable" that taxpayers are picking up the bill for extra costs on the Trident nuclear weapons programme.

The spending watchdog, the National Audit Office, has criticised the Ministry of Defence for poor management, saying new buildings at the BAE shipyard in Barrow have cost more than twice the original estimate.

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The National Audit Office says the way extra costs are paid for by the government means there is no incentive for contractors to stay within estimates.

It says the Ministry of Defence had similar problems through the 1980s and 1990s, but has failed to learn the lessons of those mistakes, and the Barrow and Furness MP agrees.

I'm sure there's a story about why those over-runs are occuring but we need to be better about drawing up those contracts."

Poor management of the infrastructure for Britain's Trident nuclear weapons programme has led to years of delays and cost overruns of more than £1bn, according to government auditors.

BAE Systems

The report concentrates on the new buildings and other infrastructure that have been created to enable the new submarines to be built.

The original cost of one building was estimated to be £111m, but turned out as £240m, because the first estimates were based on "immature" designs that had to be changed during construction.

The auditors say the Ministry of Defence has not learned the lessons of past contracts, and still signs up to deals that mean the taxpayer foots the bill for cost over-runs.

Staff at the BAE shipyard in Barrow have started studying towards a custom-designed version of a post-graduate Master of Business Administration degree.

BAE Systems

Until now, staff have had to travel to universities in Lancaster, Bradford, or Manchester to gain the qualification, seen as a key part of business education.

Now the two-year course is being taught at the Submarine Academy in Barrow and the Ambleside Campus of the University of Cumbria.

The current programme is taking 24 staff through the course in various aspects of management.

We've been encouraged to explore contemporary business and management principles and learn how to apply them to genuine situations, using real-world case studies."

Workers at the BAE Systems shipyard in Barrow have given almost £3,000 to the town's food bank through a Give As You Earn scheme.

The money has helped provide manual handling equipment, CCTV and personal protection equipment (PPE) as a majority of food bank volunteers are elderly.

Shipyard staff also regularly collect food for the bank.

BAE Systems

Jim Doherty (left), a foodbank volunteer who works at the yard, applied for the money, and said part of it paid for special watches that mean if any of the older volunteers falls while working alone an emergency message can be sent.

Claire Coulthurst, from Barrow food bank, said: "The CCTV has given us all some peace of mind, as well as securing the food bank building itself."