Defence Secretary meets next generation of shipbuilding engineers in Falmouth
Ben Wallace has been to visit A&P Falmouth to learn more about the industry
Last updated 23rd May 2022
The Defence Secretary has been on a visit to Cornwall to learn more about the shipbuilding industry.
Ben Wallace MP has been given a tour of A&P Falmouth today (23rd May) and met members of staff following the launch of the National Shipbuilding Strategy Refresh earlier this year.
He has been looking at how all four corners of the UK will benefit from initiatives launched in the refreshed Strategy.
He told us: "We do actually do really well in our shipbuilding, we produce brilliant products, brilliant people, brilliant designs, but we don't always believe it enough and shout it enough from the roof tops but I think it's really important that I do that.
"There are customers using these yards from around the world, from the US and from Europe, and we should be proud of that rather than hiding it away or thinking it's all about the industries or financial services, it's not, it's about industries like this, they're sustainable and some have been around for hundreds of years, and we want them to be around for many more years to come."
Mr Wallace also met the next generation of engineers learner their trade at the site including Anna Flack, who is a first year plumbing apprentice.
She told us: "I do a lot of welding, so it's mainly taking pipes out to the ship, building up a rig so that we have a scaffold to measure against when we replace it, then building it up and replacing it back on the ship.
"I like that it's quite active and when you're outside in the morning and looking over the bay when the sun is rising, it's fantastic.
"I'm all for having more women in the industry, the guys are definitely great to work with too, it's been easy to slide into and I've been told girls often do quite well at some of the welding that requires fine motor skills, and there are certain tight squeezes where it is quite useful to be shorter."