Slinger Apprenticeship

Babcock International

Plymouth (PL1 4SG)

Closes on Thursday 12 March 2026

Posted on 2 December 2025

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Summary

Are you ready to embark on a career that combines precision, safety, and teamwork? Join our Slinger Apprenticeship at Babcock and become a vital part of our lifting team at HM Naval Base Devonport.

• Wage:

  £16,513 a year

  Check minimum wage rates (opens in new tab)

  Year 1: £16,513 Year 2: £21,124 Year 3: £27,400

• Training course: Engineering construction erector rigger (level 3)
• Hours: Monday to Friday, 9.00am to 5.00pm.

  35 hours a week

• Start date:

  Tuesday 1 September 2026

• Duration:

  3 years

• Positions available:

  8

Work

Most of your apprenticeship is spent working. You’ll learn on the job by getting hands-on experience.

What you'll do at work

Each day a vast number of large and heavy engineering components, equipment and vehicles need to be safely lifted and transported around HM Naval Base Devonport.  

As a Slinger Apprentice, you’ll learn how to support these operations and develop the fundamental knowledge, skills and behaviours required to become a core member of the lifting team. 

You’ll work onsite as a Rigger, lifting, moving, and positioning loads during construction projects. You'll be responsible for planning and coordinating all the elements needed to execute these operations safely and successfully. Day to day, you’ll work with a wide range of equipment, from skids and rollers to various types of winches, hoists, and cranes. 

During this comprehensive 3-year apprenticeship, you'll acquire a wide range of skills: 

• The art of carrying out various lifting operations.
• Working with diverse equipment, including cranes, portable tools, and rigging/fleeting equipment.
• Staying up to date with all current legislation and changes relevant to the field.
• Ensuring that safety and compliance are top priorities.

You'll be working in environments that can be challenging, like working at heights, over water, or in confined spaces. We'll support you all the way - you'll be equipped with the skills to work independently and as part of a team, always prioritising health, safety, and the environment. 

If you're excited about working in a role where precision, teamwork, and safety are paramount, then this is the perfect opportunity for you. 

Where you'll work

Devonport Royal Dockyard
Devonport
Plymouth
PL1 4SG

Training

Apprenticeships include time away from working for specialist training. You’ll study to gain professional knowledge and skills.

Training provider

MARITIME + ENGINEERING COLLEGE NORTH WEST

Training course

Engineering construction erector rigger (level 3)

Understanding apprenticeship levels (opens in new tab)

Training schedule

During your apprenticeship, you will have the opportunity to spend approximately 3 to 4 weeks away at our training provider's sites in Liverpool (carried out one week at a time), which will equip you with invaluable experience. Accommodation and travel will be provided. 

Your apprenticeship will primarily take place on-site. You’ll be immersed in real-world scenarios and gain hands-on learning experience that is both practical and effective.  

You will spend time with the Lifting Services Training team and through rotations across projects, you'll grow your expertise in lifting and gain a broad insight into our operations.

Requirements

Essential qualifications

GCSE in:

• English (grade 4/C or above)
• Maths (grade 4/C or above)

Share if you have other relevant qualifications and industry experience. The apprenticeship can be adjusted to reflect what you already know.

Skills

• Communication skills
• Logical
• Team working

Other requirements

Many of our apprenticeship programmes are subject to Security Clearance and Trade Control restrictions which mean that your place of birth, nationality, citizenship, or residency you hold or have held may impact which programmes you are eligible for. For this programme, you must be able to achieve Baseline Personnel Security Standard (BPSS) and Security Check (SC) clearance. Further details are available at United Kingdom Security Vetting: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/united-kingdom-security-vetting-clearance-levels/national-security-vetting-clearance-levels

About this employer

Babcock is an international defence company providing support and product solutions to enhance our customers’ defence capabilities and critical assets. We provide through-life technical and engineering support for our customers’ assets, delivering improvements in performance, availability and programme cost. Our c27,700 employees deliver these critical services to defence and civil customers, including engineering support to naval, land, air and nuclear operations, frontline support, specialist training and asset management. We also design and manufacture a range of defence and civil specialist equipment, from naval ship and weapons handling systems to liquid gas handling systems. We also provide integrated, technology-enabled solutions to our defence customers in areas such as secure communications, electronic warfare and air defence.

https://earlycareers.babcockinternational.com/apprenticeships/ (opens in new tab)

Company benefits

• Fully funded qualification • Personal development training and opportunities • Minimum 28 days holiday allowance including bank holidays • Competitive pension scheme • Employee share scheme • Flexible benefits including cycle to work scheme

Disability Confident

A fair proportion of interviews for this apprenticeship will be offered to applicants with a disability or long-term health condition. This includes non-visible disabilities and conditions.

You can choose to be considered for an interview under the Disability Confident scheme. You’ll need to meet the essential requirements to be considered for an interview.

After this apprenticeship

It’s hard to beat the variety of fantastic opportunities and business experiences you’ll  receive. You can expect real world encounters and exposure to exciting projects that will really help you navigate where you want to take your career. 
 

Ask a question

The contact for this apprenticeship is:

MARITIME + ENGINEERING COLLEGE NORTH WEST

The reference code for this apprenticeship is VAC2000001821.

Apply now

Closes on Thursday 12 March 2026

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