Human Resources Business Partner Apprenticeship
DEVONPORT ROYAL DOCKYARD LIMITED
Plymouth (PL1 4SG)
Closes on Monday 7 December 2026
Posted on 14 October 2026
Contents
Summary
Launch your HR career through our two-year Human Resources Business Partner Apprenticeship. You'll complete the CIPD Level 5 Associate Diploma in People Management while gaining practical experience, coaching and exposure to strategic projects. By the end of the programme, you'll have built a strong foundation for a successful career in HR.
- Wage
-
£24,249 a year
- Training course
- Learning and development consultant business partner (level 5)
- Hours
-
Monday to Friday, 9.00am to 5.00pm.
35 hours a week
- Start date
-
Wednesday 1 September 2027
- Duration
-
2 years
- Positions available
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2
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
This apprenticeship offers the opportunity to gain experience across a broad range of people management and organisational activities while working towards a recognised professional qualification. You'll support a variety of HR activities, from analysing people data and preparing reports to advising on policies, supporting recruitment and onboarding, and contributing to employee engagement initiatives.
Throughout the programme, you'll work closely with HR professionals and stakeholders across the business, gaining insight into both operational and strategic HR. You'll contribute to projects such as workforce planning, organisational change, diversity and inclusion, talent and succession planning, wellbeing initiatives and process improvement activities. As your experience grows, you'll develop a strong understanding of how effective people practices support organisational performance and business success.
The programme is designed to develop the knowledge, skills and behaviours required of a modern HR professional, including employment law, employee relations, business strategy, organisational development, talent management and evidence-based practice. You'll also build key professional skills such as stakeholder management, communication, influencing, coaching, data analysis, problem-solving and project delivery, while demonstrating behaviours including professionalism, ethical practice, collaboration, adaptability, inclusivity and continuous learning. Together, these experiences will provide a strong foundation for progression towards future HR Business Partner roles.
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
BABCOCK TRAINING LIMITED
Training course
Learning and development consultant business partner (level 5)
Understanding apprenticeship levels (opens in new tab)
What you'll learn
Course contents
- Work as an learning and development business partner or consultant across the whole organisation or key functions and relevant stakeholders as appropriate, to build insight into existing levels of capability against future requirements, identifying organisational skills gaps and risks. This may include an organisation’s sustainability strategy or exposure to the UK Government’s policy for net carbon zero emissions by 2050, for example, ensuring a just transition for those with legacy skills into the new green economy.
- Use a range of techniques to obtain an initial brief from internal stakeholders, and investigate and analyse data to validate the need for a learning intervention.
- Present a range of relevant and innovative solutions, logically and with credibility, to gain buy-in from senior stakeholders.
- Develop an organisational development, learning and development and succession plan that addresses gaps and fulfils skills, resourcing, talent, and future leadership needs in the partner and business area, accounting for changing internal and external environment, business and learner needs. This may include an organisation’s sustainability strategy or exposure to the UK Government’s policy for net carbon zero emissions by 2050, for example, ensuring a just transition for those with legacy skills into the new green economy.
- Initiate the design of interventions and monitor implementation.
- Foster and develop an embedded culture of learning and continuous improvement (e.g. through using communication campaigns).
- Facilitate collective and social learning using innovative technological solutions.
- Influence management at all levels to collaborate and take responsibility for learning initiatives.
- Set up and manage action learning sets, coaching and mentoring programmes.
- Ensure quality of learning and training delivery through providing feedback to colleagues to ensure continuous improvement of self and others.
- Construct and manage an learning and development budget, project, intervention, including managing resources to effectively deliver.
- Identify and analyse potential cost savings to ensure maximum value.
- Effectively engage, negotiate and manage third party suppliers.
- Build effective working relationships with business managers (using the language of the business), peers and other learning and development functions, together with relevant external organisations to deliver business results from learning and development plans and solutions.
- Communicate confidently with people at all levels, including senior management.
- Work with senior leaders to carry out succession planning, organisational development and talent pipeline plans. This may include an organisation’s sustainability strategy or exposure to the UK Government’s policy for net carbon zero emissions by 2050, for example, ensuring a just transition for those with legacy skills into the new green economy.
- Build rapport and demonstrate the use of language patterns to facilitate and encourage discussions, debate, learning and decisions.
- Employ a range of questioning and listening skills to generate brainstorming, discussion and debate, learning and decisions.
- Effectively manage challenging learner and group behaviours.
Training schedule
The apprenticeship is delivered through Avado Learning and leads to the Level 5 Associate Diploma in People Management (CIPD) alongside completion of the People Professional apprenticeship standard.
Training includes:
- Online learning through Avado's virtual learning platform
- A blend of self-directed study, live workshops and coaching sessions
- Dedicated study time during working hours through a day-release learning model
- Time each week for structured learning and development activities, including workshops, project work, shadowing opportunities, networking and practical HR experiences that support your professional growth
You'll complete the CIPD Level 5 qualification during the first 10 months of the programme. The remainder of the apprenticeship focuses on applying your learning in practice, broadening your business partnering experience and continuing your professional development.
Regular progress reviews will be held with you, your line manager and your Avado coach to support your development and help you get the most from the programme.
Requirements
Essential qualifications
GCSE in:
- English (grade C)
- Maths (grade C)
- Science (grade C)
Share if you have other relevant qualifications and industry experience. The apprenticeship can be adjusted to reflect what you already know.
Skills
- Communication skills
- Organisation skills
- Analytical skills
- Logical
- Initiative
Other requirements
You'll complete the CIPD Level 5 qualification during the first 10 months of the programme. The remainder of the apprenticeship focuses on applying your learning in practice, broadening your business partnering experience and continuing your professional development.
Regular progress reviews will be held with you, your line manager and your Avado coach to support your development and help you get the most from the programme.
About this employer
Babcock is an international defence, aerospace and security company operating in our focus countries of the UK, Australasia, Canada, France and South Africa, with exports to additional markets with potential to become focus countries. We meet our customers’ key requirements of affordability, availability, and capability by delivering engineering, support and critical systems to defence and civil markets.
Company benefits
- Fully funded qualification
- Personal development training and opportunities
- 28 days holiday allowance including bank holidays
- Competitive pension scheme
- Employee share scheme
- Flexible benefits
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
Your earnings can increase over time with an apprenticeship. Find out about potential future pay (opens in new tab).
Upon successful completion of the HR Business Partner Apprenticeship and CIPD Level 5 Associate Diploma in People Management, you will have developed the skills, knowledge and experience required to progress into a HR Advisor role within the HRBP Operations team, with an expected salary of over £28,000 and placement at Global Grade 9.
A tailored development plan will then be implemented to further strengthen your business partnering skills, commercial awareness and broader business acumen, providing the support and experience needed to progress into a Junior HR Business Partner role.
From there, your development doesn't stop. You'll have access to a range of career pathways across the HR profession, with opportunities to progress into a HR Business Partner role and beyond. Ongoing learning, development and practical experience will continue to support your career growth, enabling you to build expertise across multiple areas of HR and develop a rewarding long-term career within the profession.
Ask a question
The contact for this apprenticeship is:
BABCOCK TRAINING LIMITED
The reference code for this apprenticeship is VAC2000058777.
Apply now
Closes on Monday 7 December 2026
After signing in, you’ll apply for this apprenticeship on the company's website.