Operations Apprenticeship and Training Supervisor (Fabrication & Welding) in Belfast

Navantia UK is a new force in British industry, supporting the UK’s defence, security and energy transition ambitions. We’re doing this by creating state‑of‑the‑art sovereign defence capabilities, investing in the UK to modernise industrial facilities, and bolstering the nation’s energy security. Established in 2022, Navantia UK is a subsidiary of Navantia SA, a Spanish state‑owned company with over 300 years of naval shipbuilding history. In January 2025, Navantia UK completed the acquisition of Harland&Wolff and its four historic facilities in Belfast, Appledore, Methil, and Arnish. By combining Harland&Wolff’s proud heritage and facilities with Navantia’s global expertise, Navantia UK is well‑positioned to strengthen Britain’s defence, maritime and energy industrial capabilities, supporting jobs and economic growth across the UK.

Key Responsibilities & Accountabilities

• Support and assess practical skills within the workplace.
• Allocate work, provide guidance and supervise Apprentices and Trainees to ensure work tasks are delivered effectively.
• Provide support with progress reviews, helping provide feedback to allow growth of individuals.
• Liaise with other internal stakeholders to deliver best practices based on experience.
• Coach and support Apprentices and Trainees to ensure that they are confident and competent in the workplace environment.
• Actively listen to Apprentices and Trainees.
• Ensure Apprentices and Trainees follow the policies and procedures directed by Navantia and advocate for the company values.
• Promote and encourage a culture of event reporting for all identified issues in relation to Safety, Continuous Improvement and Learning from Experience (LFE).
• Provide technical guidance and learning frameworks to the team and ensure they are exposed to the necessary tasks to exceed the course requirements.
• Engage with external visitors such as Government officials and customers, and attend external events such as school visits, to champion and promote the apprenticeship and training programmes on the yard.

Quality

• Look for new initiatives to support the business, utilising fresh ideas and employee feedback to improve motivation and remove autonomy.
• Collaborate with different departments and trades to ensure Apprentice and Trainees are exposed to each area of the business and have a positive attitude towards other colleagues.
• Identify key risks and issues in relation to skills/tasks gaps and, where appropriate, take mitigating action; where mitigation is not possible, ensure effective capture through recognised company reporting routes.
• Ensure accurate time recording and bookings against the relevant cost codes for tasks undertaken by the team and take responsibility to raise and correct any issues arising.
• Supervisor is responsible for the correct and safe use of tooling and equipment.
• Strong written and Microsoft skills to enable accurate and up-to‑date record keeping, development and maintenance of training plans, strong consistent communication across the company and other administrative tasks.

Health and Safety

• Champion the control of work processes including all aspects of Health & Safety to highlight the importance to our Apprentices and Trainees.
• Follow all the control work processes to ensure safety and compliance.
• Ensure the workplace is always safe and meets appropriate health, safety and environment standards.
• Understand the tasks required including risk and control measures.

Qualifications Education and Experience

• A qualification in welding and fabrication, extensive in‑depth knowledge and experience of heavy fabrication in shipbuilding or heavy manufacturing and plant materials.
• The role is primarily to pass on skills in fabrication; welding skills are desirable.
• The role requires the ability to plan, problem‑solve complex matters, and manage relationships with a multitude of different stakeholders such as college partners and operational management teams.
• Strong ICT skills including use of Microsoft Word, Spreadsheets, PowerPoint, Outlook and the willingness to learn other systems such as SAP are essential.

Additional Information

• The chance to work on complex, cutting‑edge naval projects.
• Competitive salary.
• Company pension.
• Learning & development opportunities to keep building your career.
• A collaborative and supportive working environment.

Equal Opportunity

We are dedicated to fostering an inclusive and diverse workplace. To ensure equal opportunities for all candidates, we commit to a fair and unbiased recruitment process at every stage. This includes ensuring hiring managers are aware of legislation, providing reasonable accommodations for candidates with disabilities, and actively seeking to eliminate any form of discrimination based on race, gender, age, religion, sexual orientation, or any other protected characteristic. Our goal is to create a recruitment environment where every candidate feels valued and has an equal chance to succeed.

Please note as part of the onboarding process all candidates will need to complete BPSS security clearance. We are an Opening Doors employer, committed to equal opportunity and an inclusive workplace. Our approach, shaped by our values of service, trust, excellence, agility, dedication, and you, we focus on removing barriers and recognising potential. We are committed to fairness at every stage, including providing reasonable adjustments and actively working to eliminate discrimination. We believe talent is everywhere, and by widening access to opportunity and welcoming diverse experiences, we aim to create a workplace where every person feels valued and has an equal chance.

If you experience difficulties or are unable to apply for a role online please contact us at people.skills@harland-wolff.com and one of the team will be in contact to help you.