The long-awaited contract to build two Royal Navy aircraft carriers will safeguard 10,000 jobs in Britain’s maritime industry and allow VT Group to re-start its apprentice programme, according to its chief executive.

Paul Lester, chief of the support services and shipbuilding company, said VT had been forced to put on hold a programme to take on new apprentices while it waited for the go-ahead for the £4bn contract from the Ministry of Defence. VT is part of an industry alliance building the ships.