Defence is one of the few sectors where employment is clearly climbing. MOD expenditure with industry supported a total of 272,000 direct jobs in 2023/24, an increase of 11% compared to the previous financial year MOD supported employment estimates 2023/24 - GOV.UK. That builds on earlier momentum, when the total number of MOD-supported UK jobs reached 239,000 in 2022/23, an increase of 6% on the year before MOD supported employment estimates 2022/23 - GOV.UK.
Fresh investment is adding to that base. More than 1,700 new jobs are being created across the UK defence sector following at least £1.4 billion in foreign direct investment committed since July 2024 Defence dividend delivers thousands of UK jobs following exceptional foreign investment - GOV.UK. And the sector has a track record of drawing people in: surveyed recruitment in defence grew by 17.8% in 2022 Defence sector continues contributing significantly to UK economy - GOV.UK.
The contrast with the wider early-career market is stark. The UK tech sector cut graduate jobs by 46 percent in the past year, with a further 53 percent drop projected The Register. Across the board, there has been a 30% drop in UK entry-level job postings since ChatGPT's launch, with graduates facing the toughest job market since 2018 techUK – What's actually happening with entry-level and graduate jobs?. Against that backdrop, a defence pipeline aimed at early-career talent stands out.
Engineering sits at the heart of it, and the talent is hard to find. 76% of engineering employers struggle to recruit for key roles, with technical and specialist sustainability skills topping the list Institution of Engineering and Technology (IET). Entry-level engineering is squeezed too: entry-level hiring has fallen to -19% while senior hiring sits at -10%, a 9-percentage-point gap GOV.UK - A snapshot of entry-level hiring in the UK.
The longer-term demand signals point the same way. Occupations in Digital, Adult Social Care, Construction and Engineering have the greatest additional employment demand between 2025 and 2030 GOV.UK - Assessment of priority skills to 2030 (Skills England). Digital, engineering and construction occupations appear most commonly among priority occupations, many already experiencing high recruitment demand and expected to keep growing strongly GOV.UK - Skills England annual skills report 2026. For defence employers, that means competing for the same engineers and digital specialists every growth sector wants.
Start with the pipeline, not the vacancy. With entry-level engineering hiring at -19% GOV.UK - A snapshot of entry-level hiring in the UK, the firms filling 40,000 early-career roles are the ones building apprenticeships, graduate schemes and clear routes in for people without a defence background. Train for the specialism and recruit for aptitude.
Move quickly and communicate clearly. When 76% of engineering employers struggle to recruit for key roles Institution of Engineering and Technology (IET), a slow or vague process loses the best people to another offer. Set out security clearance steps up front so applicants know what to expect, and keep in touch between stages.
Widen the net. Much of the talent defence needs is the same digital and engineering talent flagged as priority to 2030 GOV.UK - Assessment of priority skills to 2030 (Skills England). Look beyond the usual sources, including people leaving a shrinking graduate tech market techUK – What's actually happening with entry-level and graduate jobs?, and assess transferable skills rather than a perfect sector match.
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