The picture is strong, and it's getting stronger. 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 the MOD supported employment estimates for 2023/24. That builds on earlier momentum, when the total number of MOD-supported UK jobs reached 239,000 in 2022/23, up 6% on the previous financial year the MOD supported employment estimates for 2022/23.
Recruitment itself is growing too. The defence sector continued to be an attractive employer, with surveyed recruitment growing by 17.8% in 2022 a GOV.UK report on the defence sector's economic contribution. For primes and the smaller suppliers in their orbit, that means competition for skilled people is rising alongside the work.
Fresh investment is a big part of the story. 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 a GOV.UK announcement on defence investment and jobs. As primes scale programmes, they lean on specialist SME suppliers to deliver components, software, cyber capability and advanced manufacturing.
That dynamic reshapes who gets hired, and where. Smaller suppliers often need the same deep engineering, software and systems skills as the primes they serve, but they're hiring in tighter local markets with leaner teams. When a prime opens a door, the supplier behind it has to staff up fast to meet the contract.
Start with clarity on the role and the clearance. Define whether security clearance is required before you advertise, and be realistic about the time that adds, because it shapes both your candidate pool and your timeline. Write the brief around the capability you actually need, not a wish list, so you don't screen out strong people early.
Then move quickly. In a sector where recruitment is growing, the best engineers and technical specialists have options, so a slow process loses them. Keep interview stages tight, give fast feedback, and sell the mission: people join defence suppliers for the work, the progression and the chance to build things that matter.
Finally, widen your reach. Local SME markets can be thin for niche skills, so cast beyond your usual channels and consider transferable talent from adjacent engineering and software fields.
This is where we fit. Reed.ai searches a database of 15 million candidates and manages your recruitment end to end, from building the brief to booking interviews, so you can focus on delivery while we find the right person. Our recruitment agent manages recruitment end to end for 8% on a successful hire, with no monthly fee and no upfront cost. If you're staffing up to meet a prime's contract, tell us the role today and we'll get to work.
