50,000 defence opportunities to be created for young people in the UK by 2035

The UK defence sector is set to offer tens of thousands of new opportunities to young people as government and industry join forces to expand apprenticeships, work experience and training pathways.

Under a new Defence Youth Participation and Employment Pledge, 40,000 young people across the UK will be offered opportunities and employment in skilled defence careers each year by 2030.

This figure is expected to rise to 50,000 annually by 2035. The initiative is aimed at 18 to 24-year-olds and will provide greater access to work experience, apprenticeships and other routes into employment.

Expanding routes into skilled careers

The agreement was announced by the Ministry of Defence on 24 September, following an ADS Group roundtable involving Defence Secretary Wes Streeting and representatives from major defence companies. Organisations involved include Airbus, Babcock, BAE Systems, Leonardo, Lockheed Martin, MBDA, QinetiQ, Rolls-Royce, Safran and Thales.

“With an industry presence spanning the entire length and breadth of the UK—where 75% of our footprint sits outside of London and the South East—the defence sector offers huge, life-changing career potential for young people everywhere, across a vast and exciting range of skill sets,” said Paul Oxley, ADS Skills Director General.

“It has been our absolute pleasure to work in partnership with the Ministry of Defence in drafting the upcoming Defence Jobs Plan. A core focus of this plan will be bringing to life how industry and government work hand-in-hand to fulfil the ambitions and aspirations set out in today’s pledge, securing a prosperous future for the next generation of talent.”

The pledge aims to increase the number of defence apprenticeships to at least 14,000 young people by 2035. Work experience placements and pathways aimed at young people not currently in employment, education or training will also increase by at least 25%.

The initiative will also introduce a ‘no-wrong-door’ approach. With an applicant’s consent, unsuccessful candidates will be signposted towards suitable opportunities elsewhere in the defence supply chain. Industry will further increase career, STEM and community engagement activities by a quarter by 2035.

The announcement comes alongside wider government investment in defence skills. A £182 million defence skills package was previously announced, while the Defence Investment Plan includes £298 billion of investment expected to create more than 60,000 new roles in the UK. The UK Government says the wider defence industry will require around 53,000 additional workers by 2035.

Speaking about the plans, Defence Secretary Wes Streeting said, “This government has delivered the biggest sustained increase in defence spending since the Cold War, to strengthen our deterrence and defend against evolving threats.” 

“We are using that investment to create new opportunities for young people, both because it is a moral emergency that a million young people are out of work or education and because without creating good, well-paid, high-skilled jobs in defence industries, we cannot keep our country safe.”

What will this mean for young people?

For young people, the programme is intended to provide practical experience and clearer routes into careers spanning engineering, manufacturing, technology, cyber, space and other specialist areas.

ADS, which represents organisations across the aerospace, defence, security and space sectors, highlighted the geographical reach of the industry, noting that 75% of its defence footprint is outside London and the Southeast.

The programme also reflects the findings of Alan Milburn’s Young People and Work Review, which has highlighted the importance of work experience in helping young people develop skills, confidence and a route into employment. The review has warned that the first steps onto the career ladder have become harder for many young people.

With the upcoming Defence Jobs Plan expected to set out further detail, the government and defence industry are positioning apprenticeships, work experience and early-career programmes as important routes for developing the skilled workforce needed across the sector.

For young people considering a career in defence, engineering or technology, the pledge is expected to create a broader range of opportunities across the UK over the coming years.