As part of their commitment to developing the next generation of engineers, The Tank Museum and defence company, Babcock International Group (Babcock), have joined forces to give Vehicle Technician apprentices hands-on experience working on both historic and modern military vehicles.
Apprentice Vehicle Technician, James Trevett, who has been working at the Museum for three years, recently welcomed 14 Babcock apprentices to learn about historic vehicles. They later visited the Ministry of Defence site in Bovington, where Babcock delivers vehicle support services, getting an insight into modern-day defence vehicles.
James said: “I was inspired to join The Tank Museum and pursue a career in engineering after I left school and was keen to get into a hands-on job. I grew up on a farm, and I spent a lot of my childhood tinkering with equipment. With five Land Rovers at home in my own workshop, it’s safe to say I enjoy fixing things and solving problems.
“At the Museum, I carry out work on vehicles that may not have operated for over 80 years. It is incredibly satisfying to know that I can make a difference to our collection and get these historic vehicles running once again.”
The Tank Museum’s Workshop team is made up of 14 members of staff and 40 volunteers. Collectively their experience spans over hundreds of years and varies from military veterans to heritage engineers. The new partnership is also open to the wider Workshop Team to further enhance their knowledge and skills. Shortly, the team will be welcoming a new apprentice to join their expert team.
As a strategic support partner for the British Army, Babcock maintains some of its fleet of vehicles at Bovington, where it also delivers technical training.
James continued: “I thoroughly enjoyed working with the Babcock apprentices. During their time here, they experienced working on a variety of our vehicles, including King Tiger V2, our current restoration project.
“As I come to the end of my apprenticeship and embark on my career as a Vehicle Technician at the Museum, I’m proud of how much my confidence has grown. I’m excited for what the future holds now I am a full-time member of the team.”
Damien Harding, Babcock’s Head of Site at Bovington, added: “Providing our apprentices with the opportunity to learn from the specialists at The Tank Museum has been incredibly valuable. Working with historic military vehicles gave them hands-on experience and a unique insight into engineering techniques, vehicle design and maintenance practices developed across generations.
“We are proud of our partnership with The Tank Museum and were delighted to take part in this initiative. By sharing knowledge and expertise, both organisations can help build future engineering skills while preserving and learning from an important part of the nation’s engineering heritage.”
Since 2015, the Museum has trained five apprentices. One of those apprentices include now Team Leader, Aaron Cruse, who is leading the team on the restoration of King Tiger V2.
As the oldest surviving King Tiger, the project to return the vehicle to running condition is extremely complex, providing valuable learning opportunities for the Workshop Team. With a £1m fundraising goal, Aaron, James, and the team aim to bring 82-year-old King Tiger V2 back to life to join the Museum’s running collection.
