Apprentices and graduates start at British Steel

British Steel will welcome 70 new apprentices and graduates next month after it received more than 1,000 applications.

The Scunthorpe site will have 36 apprentices, with a further 17 starting at the northern mills in Teesside and Skinningrove and one at the research and development centre in Sheffield.

British Steel was taken into public ownership in July.

Industry Minister Blair McDougall said: "These new roles will help build the next generation of skilled workers we need to secure the long-term future of British Steel and strengthen one of our foundation industries."

The 16 graduates will start roles including in engineering, manufacturing, technical, commercial, finance and IT.

British Steel said that following a relaunch of its graduate recruitment programme this year, they will be the first new starters appointed since 2022.

The company said it had reopened its Scunthorpe apprentice training centre as part of its "ongoing commitment to skills development".

In April 2025, the government passed an emergency law to take control of British Steel amid reports that the then-owner Jingye was planning to switch off two blast furnaces in Scunthorpe.

The Steel Industry (Nationalisation) Bill became law last month, taking the company into public ownership.

British Steel HR director Nick Ashton said: "Together with our highly skilled colleagues, they will help manufacture the steel Britain needs now and for decades to come, and we look forward to welcoming them into the company at such an exciting time for British Steel."

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