Navantia: Kirkcaldy apprentice at Westminster to speak with Ministers at defence event

Lana Gilchrist, from Kirkcaldy, shared a stage with Luke Pollard MP, UK Government Defence Minister and Blair McDougall MP, Minister for Reindustrialisation

The reception, held in the Houses of Parliament, was also attended by Melanie Ward MP for Cowdenbeath and Kirkcaldy, and it was an opportunity to discuss growing apprenticeship numbers across the UK, during a time of growing defence spending from the UK Government.

Lana is one of 75 apprentices at the thriving Methil yard.

The site has gone from strength to strength following a £26.7 million investment in their ‘resurgence’ project, and a 2024 UK-government backed deal which effectively saved the yard when it faced threat of closure.

It is now well-placed to win significant new Ministry of Defence contracts, given the UK Government’s significant increase in defence spending. It has also committed £10 million to build two Defence Technical Excellence Colleges in Scotland, an investment the Scottish Government has now matched.

These defence colleges will help give thousands more young people the skills and expertise needed for the well-paid jobs being created thanks to the increase in UK Government defence spending.

Ms Ward is lobbying for Fife College to take the lead in delivering one of them, which would benefit Kirkcaldy.

She said: “It was brilliant to speak with Lana at the defence event in Parliament last week, and great to hear about what UK Government defence investment means for young people from Kirkcaldy and Fife as a whole. She spoke so eloquently alongside a number of MPs and government ministers; Lana is a real credit to Fife.

“I’m pleased that the Scottish Government has now matched the UK Government’s £10 million in funding for a new Defence Technical Excellence College, and I will continue to press for the benefits of this new college to be felt right here in Fife.”