Local MSP David Barratt has visited Babcock’s Rosyth dockyard to discuss workforce challenges and future opportunities at one of Fife’s key employers.
Mr Barratt, MSP for Cowdenbeath, said the visit on Monday allowed him to hear directly from staff about the scale of operations at the site and the pressures facing a highly skilled and competitive engineering sector.
He described it as “invaluable to see first-hand the scale of work taking place at Rosyth and to hear directly about the challenges of operating in a highly skilled and competitive sector.”
Discussions focused heavily on recruitment and skills shortages, an issue affecting many engineering and manufacturing firms. Mr Barratt said Babcock is facing challenges in attracting skilled workers, despite strong interest in careers within the industry.
He highlighted the importance of improving access for local people and strengthening routes into employment, including apprenticeships.
He said he was particularly encouraged by Babcock’s willingness to explore how barriers to employment can be reduced while maintaining the high standards required in specialist roles.
The visit also touched on the dockyard’s wider role, including work on submarine decommissioning and emerging technologies, which Mr Barratt said underlined Rosyth’s importance both to the local economy and to Scotland’s role internationally.
The recently-elected MSP linked his visit to events marking Armed Forces Day, with a flag-raising ceremony taking place in Kirkcaldy’s Town Square at 1pm today to recognise the contribution of serving personnel, veterans, reservists and military families, including many in Fife.
He said the occasion was a timely reminder of the role defence plays in supporting skilled jobs and industry in local communities.
He thanked staff at Babcock for their time and said he looked forward to continuing discussions in the months ahead.
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