24th Sep 2026 06:58
(Alliance News) - Tens of thousands of young Britons will be offered employment and work experience with some of the UK's biggest defence firms as part of an agreement between the government and defence industry.
According to the Ministry of Defence, the scheme will create employment opportunities for 40,000 18-24-year-olds with major firms such as BAE Systems PLC, Lockheed Martin Corp and Airbus SE by 2030, with that figure rising to 50,000 by 2035.
The agreement will expand routes into defence apprenticeships, provide greater work experience opportunities and direct unsuccessful candidates to other opportunities within the defence industry.
The deal was signed by Defence Secretary Wes Streeting and industry leaders at a roundtable in London on Wednesday.
It follows the government's GBP182 million defence skills package announced last year, and forms part of the government's drive to address youth unemployment.
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."
Alan Milburn, who was commissioned by former prime minister Keir Starmer to lead the government's upcoming review into worklessness, called the agreement a "win-win".
He 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."
BAE Systems Chief Executive Officer Charles Woodburn 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."
By John Besley, Press Association
Press Association: News
source: PA
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