Major Defence Workforce Pact Aims to Offer 40,000 Youth Placements Annually by 2030

A landmark agreement between government and industry will provide 40,000 young people across the UK with opportunities in skilled Defence careers each year by 2030, increasing to 50,000 by 2035. The deal, signed by Defence Secretary Wes Streeting and leaders from the UK’s top defence companies at a London roundtable, represents the largest ever commitment to expanding employment, apprenticeship, and training pathways in the sector.

The agreement forms a central component of the forthcoming Industrial Strategy Defence Jobs Plan and encompasses broadening access to apprenticeships, enhancing work experience opportunities, directing unsuccessful applicants toward alternative Defence roles, and deepening career engagement initiatives.

This builds on the Government’s £182 million defence skills investment last year, which ensured every region benefits from Ministry of Defence expenditure. The £298 billion Defence Investment Plan is projected to generate over 60,000 new positions nationwide.

The initiative aligns with broader Government efforts to increase youth participation in education, employment, or training, including new technical pathways for 14-year-olds, accelerated rollout of the Youth Guarantee in priority sectors, and 100,000 additional work experience placements in retail.

The commitment precedes Alan Milburn’s Young People and Work report, due in Autumn. The interim findings identified work experience as critical for developing young people’s skills and confidence, noting that entry-level career opportunities have diminished significantly.

Defence Secretary Wes Streeting said:

This government has delivered the biggest sustained increase in defence spending since the Cold War, strengthening our deterrence against evolving threats.

We are channeling that investment into new opportunities for young people—not only because a million young people remain out of work or education constitutes a moral emergency, but because without quality, well-paid, high-skilled jobs in defence industries, we cannot ensure national security.

Streeting was joined by representatives from Airbus, Babcock, BAE Systems, Helsing, Leonardo, Lockheed Martin, MBDA, Navantia, Palantir, QinetiQ, Rolls-Royce, Safran, and Thales.

Key commitments include:

• Expanding Defence apprenticeships to at least 14,000 young people by 2035
• Increasing work experience placements and NEET support pathways by at least 25% by 2035
• Implementing a “no-wrong-door” approach to route suitable applicants to relevant opportunities across the supply chain
• Delivering 25% more career, STEM, and community engagement activities by 2035

The Armed Forces remain the UK’s largest apprenticeship provider, with 462,000 people employed in defence-related roles nationwide. The sector is uniquely positioned to equip young people with the experience and confidence needed to launch lasting careers.

The upcoming Defence Jobs Plan will address demand for approximately 53,000 additional workers by 2035.

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

Every young person deserves a first chance into work, yet for too many the initial rungs of the career ladder have vanished.

Defence is one of our great industries—possessing both the scale and opportunity to provide young people with the experience, skills, and confidence necessary to build rewarding careers.

This commitment from industry and government represents exactly the kind of action that can transform young people’s lives. It is a win-win: more opportunities for youth and a sustainable pipeline of skilled labour for industry. It demonstrates what is possible when employers step up.

Notes to Editors

Imagery from the Roundtable is available upon request.

Charles Woodburn, BAE Systems CEO:

As the UK’s largest defence company, we are committed to providing opportunities for young people from all backgrounds, offering meaningful careers while strengthening the industrial skills base.

Expanding pathways into defence will help attract the breadth of talent needed to deliver next-generation military equipment—from fighter jets and submarines to cyber, space, and drone capabilities. With technology advancing at unprecedented pace and global threats evolving rapidly, there has never been a more important time to join our sector.

Harry Holt, Babcock International CEO:

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

This commitment builds on existing efforts to widen access, including work experience, pre-apprenticeship programmes, and STEM outreach. We are proud to collaborate with government and industry colleagues to expand pathways into defence.

Chris Allam, MBDA UK Managing Director:

MBDA has long offered young people opportunities to understand career options, experience the workplace, and transition from education into employment in a structured, supported manner. This commitment will build on that legacy while helping deliver the skilled workforce the Defence sector requires.

Tufan Erginbilgiç, Rolls-Royce CEO:

At Rolls-Royce, we have seen 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 industry peers to invest in the talent of tomorrow—for today’s programmes and future capabilities. A strong defence sector is built on the people who power it.

Chris Shaw, Thales UK COO:

At Thales, we believe the next generation of defence talent deserves clear routes into skilled, rewarding careers backed by genuine work experience and quality apprenticeships.

Today’s commitment will help widen access for 18–24-year-olds, ensuring everyone can see what comes next after taking their first step. We are determined to build a workforce where young people across the UK gain the skills, confidence, and qualifications to shape their futures and the nation’s.

Paul Livingston CBE, Lockheed Martin UK CEO:

As a former apprentice, getting more young people into the sector is a personal mission. This pathway will open doors young people thought were closed, bringing value to themselves, their employers, and the UK’s economic and national security.

Steve Wadey, QinetiQ Group CEO:

Today’s young people will develop the technologies protecting our nation in the future, so we must ensure they access the right opportunities.

Collaboration across industry and government to provide more work experience, apprenticeships, and early career pathways will help create a skilled, innovative, and diverse workforce to address the nation’s most complex challenges.

Kata Escott, Airbus Defence and Space UK Managing Director:

Airbus is proud to support this national effort, leveraging our UK footprint to provide young people with life-changing apprenticeships and hands-on experience in advanced aerospace and defence programmes. By opening accessible pathways into highly skilled engineering and manufacturing careers, we strengthen our sovereign industrial base and ensure the next generation has the confidence and opportunity to succeed.

Paul Oxley, ADS Skills Director General:

With 75% of our industry footprint outside London and the South East, the defence sector offers huge career potential for young people everywhere across a vast range of skill sets.

It has been our pleasure to work with the Ministry of Defence drafting the Defence Jobs Plan. A core focus will be demonstrating how industry and government collaborate to fulfil today’s ambitions, securing a prosperous future for the next generation.

Ned Baker, Helsing UK Managing Director:

Helsing builds software-defined defence systems and relies on having the right talent behind our technology. Modern defence tech needs practical, creative problem-solvers with diverse perspectives. This pledge opens doors to critically important, well-paid careers protecting our nation.

Clive Higgins, Leonardo UK Chair and CEO:

Developing the next generation of talent is essential to the UK defence sector’s future strength. By signing the Defence Youth Participation and Employment Pledge, I reaffirm our commitment to creating opportunities through STEM engagement, work experience, apprenticeships, and early career pathways.

Investing in future skills strengthens our industry, supports social mobility, and ensures the sovereign capability needed for long-term prosperity and resilience.

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