The team responsible for the recruitment, training and continuous development of future talent at GE Aerospace Wales has scooped the top award at the Aviation Industry UK Awards 2025.
GE Aerospace Wales took home the top prize in the Apprenticeship Programme category, seeing off competition from Jet2Holidays, GT Engine Services, Swissport and other companies from across the UK.
The GE Aerospace Wales Apprenticeship Programme provides opportunities across Engineering, Business & Management and Supply Chain and in 2024 the company received over 1,100 applications for around 15 to 20 spaces. Since 2017, 93% of apprentices who have graduated are still in role today at the Wales site.
Combining elements of personal development and team building, the Early Careers Team at the Wales site partner with local Welsh company Call of the Wild to ensure that every apprentice who joins the programme has the chance to grow, reflect and consider their own career paths while developing strong relationships with colleagues in their group. Working across the business, apprentices are provided opportunities to work with schools in the local area, deliver STEM and Careers talks, host business events at the Wales site, present to visiting senior executives and dignitaries; all helping to ensure they have a range of opportunities to develop their team working, communication and collaborative skillset.
The Apprenticeship Programme will open for applications in October.
Stephen Edwards, Managing Director at GE Aerospace Wales, said:
“This award is testament to the focus, dedication and effort that every team at the Wales site puts into working with and supporting our apprentices. It is great to see this hard work recognised not only with the success but in the comments of the judges as well.
“Our Apprenticeship Programme is one the key pillars of how we run our business at the Wales site – a focus on our People, a culture of Respect and lifting up our teams in their careers.”
The judges at the Aviation Industry Awards 2025 noted that the GE Aerospace Wales Apprenticeship Programme “matches technical excellence with strong personal development”. The judges went on to say that “the business has created a supportive and high impact pathway into STEM careers with impressive retention and success rates, with clear organisational commitment and a fundamental culture that champions growth”.
Riah Lawthom, Technical Training Leader at GE Aerospace Wales, said:
“I am immensely proud of the Training and Early Careers Team in everything they do to support and develop our apprentices. Right from recruitment through to them joining teams on the shop floor and in our business support functions, our team of assessors, trainers and mentors stand by them and help them grow.
“As we get ready to open the Programme for applications next month, this award is a moment to reflect on the huge impact that as an employer we can have on the lives and future careers of young people from our local area – and I am looking forward to seeing what’s next for our Apprenticeship Programme at the Wales site.”
