Raytheon UK supports ‘Skills for Life’ through apprenticeship opportunities

These trends include the growing importance of lifelong learning to keep pace with evolving and aging populations; the shift to remote and hybrid work, which has increased global competition for skilled roles; and the impact of AI and automation.   

Against the backdrop of National Apprenticeship Week, which runs from Feb. 9-15, Raytheon UK is tackling these challenges directly by expanding its apprenticeship programme to existing staff, allowing them to upskill within their current roles and contracts.

“The theme of this year’s National Apprenticeship Week – Skills for Life – and the government’s recently announced AI Skills Boost aligns with the continuous professional development opportunities we have created and demonstrate that we are committed to our people,” said Charlotte, a talent development partner at Raytheon UK.

Two employees within Raytheon UK’s Training Transformation Services business, Chris and Amy, decided to embark on apprenticeship upskilling programmes to expand their professional toolkit. Here are their stories:

From diamonds to design: Amy’s journey at Raytheon UK

When Amy, a training support specialist, joined the company in 2022, she offered a unique skillset.

“I’ve worked as a diamond advisor, forensic mental health worker, and a dental nurse. Each position taught me valuable skills, but I always held a desire to work for the military, so I was excited to join Raytheon UK and assigned to support the Royal Marines,” Amy said. 

Her current role is varied and includes anything from mapping to basic photography. “This role allows me to apply my skills in a dynamic environment and continuously learn, particularly with the additional support of my apprenticeship programme,” she said.

Empowering growth  

Six months into her Level 3 Content Creator apprenticeship programme with The Cambridge Marketing College, Amy is thriving. The programme focuses on enhancing existing creative design skills through assigned tasks, such as incorporating persuasive language into graphic designs to increase consumer engagement and advertisement storyboarding. 

“The apprenticeship has been a game changer, providing a supportive environment where I can develop my design skills at a comfortable pace while expanding my knowledge,” said Amy.

“I’m grateful for the chance to pursue an apprenticeship without educational barriers, which allows individuals like me to succeed based on unique strengths rather than standardised benchmarks,” she said.

From air traffic to AI: Chris’s evolution at Raytheon UK

Chris began his career as an air traffic controller in the Royal Air Force, where he served for 12 years. His journey into training design, however, started back in 2017.

“During my military service, I was assigned to the School of Air Operations, where I joined a team responsible for designing a new course as part of a training realignment and standardisation package. This was my first real foray into military training design,” he said.

After leaving the RAF, Chris explored various roles before joining Raytheon UK in June 2024 as a training courseware designer. Shortly after, he heard about the company’s upskilling opportunities and expressed an interest in a Level 4 AI Catalyst apprenticeship with Apprentify.

“It aligned with my vision of leveraging technology for business growth,” he said.

The UK’s Level 4 AI Catalyst and the AI & Automation Practitioner apprenticeships prioritise the development of soft skills, including empathy, critical thinking, and creativity, alongside technical literacy.

“Diving into AI is outside of my usual comfort zone as a courseware designer, but that’s what makes it exciting. The apprenticeship is as much about personal growth as it is about professional development, and this experience is enhancing my communication, problem-solving, and critical thinking skills – all of which are essential in my current role,” Chris said.

Embracing AI for future growth

The government, through Skills England, has set an ambitious target to upskill 10 million UK workers by 2030 to ensure the workforce is adequately skilled and ready to grasp the full opportunities of AI.

Chris feels privileged to be ahead of the game. 

“AI tools are revolutionising how Raytheon UK approaches training design, offering dynamic solutions that adapt to learner needs in real-time,” he said. “Upon completing this apprenticeship, my goal is to apply what I’ve learned by adapting projects in my portfolio to directly support my role and team – whether by improving processes or utilising AI tools to drive innovation.” 

Charlotte describes both “early career apprentices,” who are recruited into the business, and “business apprentices” – existing colleagues who are upskilling via an apprenticeship – as critical to business growth.

“Our high-skilled workforce is a sovereign capability, and we are keen to support upskilling to nurture future talent pipelines, fill skills gaps, and ensure we are using our Growth and Skills Levy efficiently,” she said.

RTX is pleased to sponsor the ADS National Apprentice Week at The House of Commons on Feb. 10. Fourteen RTX apprentices from Collins Aerospace and Pratt & Whitney and Raytheon UK will attend the event, which aims to provide Parliamentarians with an opportunity to celebrate and learn more about the contribution of over 26,000 apprentices across the UK’s aerospace, defence, security and space sectors.