An intern from the United Arab Emirates has been helping to develop new technologies at the new £15.6m skills academy at BAE Systems.

Abdulla Alshehhi was one of three students who completed a 16-week internship at the company during which he developed technology which will be used to train people in the Academy for Skills and Knowledge in Samlesbury.

The interns were the second group of a five-year programme between the Mubadala Development Company (Mubadala), the Abu Dhabi-based investment and development company, and BAE Systems. The programme has been set up to provide Emirati youngsters with world-class technical and engineering skills aiming to accelerate their academic success and career prospects when they return to the UAE.

During his time, Abdulla was involved in developing a new apprentice training module representing aircraft assembly and establishing an augmented reality application for work instruction delivery, which has the ability to link to smart manufacturing tools within the Academy.

He said, “During our time with BAE Systems, my fellow interns and I were exposed to a lot of the technology being used to develop skills and we were very pleased to be involved in helping develop parts of it.

“The Academy will be one of the leading facilities of its kind in the world, where apprentices will gain the knowledge, experience, and a high work ethic.

“I believe it will also help show the way the aerospace industry will develop in the coming decades.”

Abdulla’s fellow interns were also involved in developing new technologies for manufacturing applications that include industrial robotics.

These new technologies, together with robotic equipment, will be further developed over the coming years by apprentice’s for real military aircraft manufacturing applications.

The company is currently accepting applications its 2017 apprentice intake. There are up to 110 apprentices to join its military aircraft business in the UK in September in roles including aerospace and software engineering, project and business management.

They will use the technology including a virtual reality cave, full-size training aircraft and 3D printing equipment and facilities in the Academy to develop their skills.

BAE Systems presently more than 2,000 apprentices in training across its UK bases which include its submarines businesses in Barrow-in-Furness, Cumbria.

The number is the largest ever in the company's history and includes apprentices who study its new degree apprenticeships.