MOD and Industry Pledge 50,000 Defence Opportunities a Year for Young People by 2035

• New schemes announced today to offer 18-24-year-olds work experience with some of Britain’s biggest Defence firms 
• Builds on £182 million defence skills package to tackle the number of young people not in employment, education or training  
• Advances Government’s wider commitment for 500,000 more youth opportunities and supports Alan Milburn’s Review to get Britain’s ‘lost generation’ into education, employment or training

40,000 young people across the UK will be offered opportunities and employment in skilled Defence careers every year by 2030, rising to 50,000 by 2035, following the biggest ever agreement between government and business to expand routes into work, apprenticeships and training for young people in defence.  

The agreement, a key part of the upcoming Industrial Strategy Defence Jobs Plan, was signed by the Defence Secretary and industry leaders at a roundtable in London yesterday, includes expanding routes into apprenticeships, providing greater work experiences opportunities, signposting unsuccessful candidates to other Defence opportunities, and increasing career engagement by 2035.

This comes after the Government’s £182 million defence skills package last year, ensuring every region benefits from MOD expenditure. The £298 billion investment through the Defence Investment Plan will see more than 60,000 new roles created in the UK.   

It forms part of the Government’s drive to get more young people into education, employment or training, including new technical routes for 14-year-olds, a faster rollout of the Youth Guarantee in key sectors, and 100,000 additional work experience placements in retail, helping young people earn or learn. 

The commitment comes ahead of Alan Milburn’s Young People and Work report, expected in Autumn. The interim report found work experience as widely recognised as essential to help young people gain the skills and confidence to succeed, warning that the first rung of the career ladder has thinned.

Defence Secretary Wes Streeting said:

“This government has delivered the biggest sustained increased 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.”

The Defence Secretary was joined by representatives from the UK’s leading defence companies, including Airbus, Babcock, BAE Systems, Helsing, Leonardo, Lockheed Martin, MBDA, Navantia, Palantir, QinetiQ, Rolls Royce, Safran and Thales. 

Key pledges include:

• Increasing the number of apprenticeships in Defence to at least 14,000 young people, by 2035. 
• Expanding the number of work experience placements and NEETs related pathways by at least 25 per cent, by 2035. 
• Industry will implement a ‘no-wrong-door’ approach so that, with the individual’s consent, suitable applicants can be considered for relevant opportunities elsewhere in the supply chain. 
• Deliver a quarter more career, STEM and community engagement interactions, by 2035.

The Government’s largest sustained increase in defence spending since the Cold War is opening new career opportunities for young people across the UK. Alan Milburn highlighted the importance of work experience, warning that the first step onto the career ladder has become increasingly difficult for many. 

The Armed Forces is the UK’s largest apprenticeship providers, and with 462,000 people working in roles related to UK defence across the country, the sector is uniquely placed to provide the work experience, skills and confidence that can help young people take the first step into a career for life. 

The upcoming Defence Jobs Plan will set out how government and industry will address the demand for around 53,000 additional workers across the industry by 2035. 

Alan Milburn, Chair of the Young People and Work Review, said:

“Every young person deserves a first chance into work, but for too many the first rungs of the career ladder have disappeared. 

“Defence is one of our great industries – it has both the scale and the opportunity to give young people the experience, skills and confidence they need to build a career.  

“This commitment from industry and government is exactly the kind of action that can change young people’s lives. It is a win-win. More opportunities for young people. A sustainable supply of skilled labour for industry. It shows what is possible when employers step up.”

Charles Woodburn, BAE Systems Chief Executive, said:

“As the UK’s largest defence company, we’re committed to providing opportunities for young people from all backgrounds, offering them meaningful and rewarding careers, whilst strengthening the UK’s industrial skills base.  

“Expanding pathways into defence will help to attract the breadth of talent needed to deliver the next generation of military equipment, from fighter jets and submarines to cyber, space and drone capabilities, enabling our outstanding armed forces to keep Britain safe. With technology developing at an unprecedented pace and global threats evolving rapidly, there’s never been a more important time to join our sector.”

Harry Holt, Babcock International CEO, said:

“A strong defence sector depends on a strong pipeline of talent. Every year, Babcock supports hundreds of apprentices, graduates, and trainees, helping young people develop the skills needed for rewarding careers in defence, engineering and technology. 

“This commitment builds on the work we are already doing to widen access to opportunities, including work experience, pre-apprenticeship programmes and STEM outreach. We are proud to work alongside government and industry colleagues expanding pathways into defence, building the skilled workforce needed to support national security and drive economic growth.”

Chris Allam, MBDA UK Managing Director, said:

“MBDA has, for many years, offered young people opportunities to understand potential career options, experience the workplace and be ready to transition from education into employment in a structured and supported way. This latest commitment will build on this longstanding support, while also helping deliver the right workforce of skilled employees to meet the needs of the Defence sector in the years ahead.”

Tufan Erginbilgiç, Rolls-Royce CEO:

“At Rolls-Royce, we have seen first-hand how early career opportunities in defence build a stronger industrial base with cross-sector benefits. We are proud to partner with the UK government and our industry peers to invest in the talent of tomorrow, not only for today’s programmes but for the capabilities the UK will need in the future. A strong defence sector is built on the people who power it, and this pledge reflects a shared commitment between the UK government and industry to strengthen UK national resilience and security.”

Chris Shaw, Thales UK Chief Operating Officer, said:

“At Thales, we believe the next generation of defence talent should have a clear route into skilled, rewarding careers—backed by genuine work experience, high-quality apprenticeships and the right support along the way.  

“Today’s commitment will help widen access for 18–24-year-olds to opportunities with our industry partners, and we welcome the drive to ensure everyone can see what comes next after taking their first step. We’re determined to do our part in building a workforce for the long term—one where young people across the UK can gain the skills, confidence and qualifications they need to shape both their own futures and that of the UK.”

Paul Livingston CBE, Lockheed Martin UK Chief Executive, said:

“As a former apprentice, getting more young people into the sector is a personal mission for me and I really welcome the long-term commitment government and industry partners are making to young people. The pathway will open doors that young people thought were closed and bring huge value to themselves, the businesses they join, and the UK’s economic and national security.”

Steve Wadey, QinetiQ Group CEO, said:

“It’s today’s young people who’ll be responsible for developing the technologies and capabilities that will help protect our nation in the future, so we have a responsibility to ensure they can access the right opportunities.  

“Working together across industry and government to provide more work experience, apprenticeships and early careers pathways will help create a skilled, innovative and diverse workforce to help solve some of the nation’s most complex challenges.”

Kata Escott, Airbus Defence and Space UK Managing Director, said:

“Airbus is proud to support this important national effort, leveraging our footprint across the UK to provide young people with life-changing apprenticeships and hands-on experience in some of the world’s most advanced aerospace and defence programmes. By opening new, accessible pathways into highly skilled engineering and manufacturing careers, we are not just strengthening our sovereign industrial base, but ensuring the next generation has the confidence and opportunity to succeed.”

Paul Oxley, ADS Skills Director General, said:

“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. 

“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.”

Ned Baker, Helsing UK Managing Director, said:

“Helsing builds software-defined defence systems for our armed forces, and we rely on having the right talent behind our technology. Modern defence tech needs practical, creative problem-solvers who bring a diversity of thought and approach. This pledge is a crucial step in opening doors and giving young people across the country a clear route into critically important, well-paid careers that protect our nation.”