A sculpture designed and built by BAE Systems Submarines apprentices to celebrate 150 years of Barrow Shipyard has gone on permanent display in the town.
People. Product. Pride: 150 years of Barrow Shipyard has been installed in Vickerstown Park and depicts the town’s shipbuilding heritage through three key elements; those who worked in the shipyard, the community which the business has served for more than a century-and-a-half, and long-term partners the Royal Navy.
The sculpture includes a QR code which allows people to access more information about the shipyard’s heritage and its long relationship with the Furness community.
The project began during Barrow Shipyard’s 150th anniversary year in 2021 when 15 groups of first year apprentices were tasked with coming up with a concept to pitch to a panel of judges.
Three designs were chosen and voted on by the wider business and a more detailed set of drawings of the winning concept were then produced by apprentice designers and engineers.
The winning design group selected their preferred choice, which engineers and designers turned into a design, and operations staff transformed it into the finished product.
Apprentice designer Lewis Phillips said: “The 150th anniversary is a milestone that we will never get see again, and to be given the opportunity to be a part of that and create this piece has been an honour.
“Having the knowledge that this will be around for generations to come and that we are all able to say we contributed towards this brings us a great sense of pride.”
Operations leader Rebecca McIlroy, who was part of the project working group, said: “It has been a pleasure to have been involved in the project and it is fantastic to see the finished piece, which I’m sure will be appreciated by the local community for many years to come.
“All the apprentices involved in the project have done an amazing job and should all be proud of themselves.
“We turned to many people within the business for help and support along the way and the project team really appreciated the positive and proactive response that we received.”
Project manager – social impact Neil Doherty said: “It is a magnificent piece which has been designed and manufactured by current shipyard apprentices, acknowledging the talents of the present and future submarines workforce.”
