Defence training ramped up to 'wartime pace' in boost for students

Defence training will be ramped up to a “wartime pace” in a new education drive aimed at growing the UK’s skilled workforce, the Government has announced.

Under the plans, five new “technical excellence colleges” will be set up across the country as well as targeted short courses and Stem schemes for school students to pursue careers in the sector. The £182 million funding package will be at the heart of a new defence industrial strategy to be unveiled on Monday.

This will include regional Stem initiatives for “thousands” of school-age students over the next four years to pursue careers in defence. There will also be targeted short courses for people already working in certain defence industries.

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Ministers are also promising increased education investment to create more places on defence-related courses, as well as a new apprenticeship and graduate clearing system.

Five new defence technical excellence colleges are also launching 2026, with applications to go live by the end of this year.

The Ministry of Defence (MoD) said the strategy would offer opportunities for young people, help veterans into employment and “equip the UK workforce with the expertise” needed for “the demands of a rapidly-evolving defence sector to innovate at a wartime pace”.

It seeks to equip the next generation of workers with skills for submarines and cyber warfare.

Defence Secretary John Healey said the drive was “the biggest defence skills plan in decades” and would help to boost both national security and jobs creation.

Education Secretary Bridget Phillipson said it would “break down barriers to opportunity for people in every corner of our country”.

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