The government has confirmed plans to create five “defence-focused” technical excellence colleges to “make the country safer and boost jobs”.
Applications for existing colleges to win funding to be a technical excellence college (TEC) will go live by the end of this calendar year, with successful centres to be launched in 2026.
The announcement comes ahead of release of the government’s defence industrial strategy – the last of eight ‘sector plans’ to feeding into its industrial strategy, published in June.
Defence secretary John Healey said: “It’s British workers who gave UK companies the leading edge in defence innovation and industry.
“Our defence industrial strategy puts skills at the heart of the Government’s plans to make the country safer and boost jobs across the UK.
“This is the biggest defence skills plan in decades, a plan to boost Britain’s security and create well paid, high-skilled jobs for young people for generations to come.”
The government hopes the defence sector plan will help make the UK a “defence industrial superpower” by 2035.
It has also reportedly earmarked £250 million in investment for “defence growth deals” for five locations: Cardiff, Belfast, Glasgow, Sheffield and Plymouth.
The five colleges
The five defence TECs will follow ten construction TECs confirmed in August, which will each receive a share of £80 million in capital and £20 million in revenue over the next four years.
According to an announcement, new funding worth £182 million will support a “comprehensive package” aimed at skills for the defence industry.
This includes training for roles such as submarine engineers, specialist welders, and cyber warfare specialists.
The government says funding will also pay for “thousands” of short courses so that defence employers can train new and current staff “more quickly”.
The Ministry of Defence also hopes to improve retention and career mobility through a new apprenticeship and graduate “clearing style” system, launching next year.
Education secretary Bridget Phillipson said: “The defence sector doesn’t just keep the British people safe; it drives growth and unlocks opportunities for young people to learn pioneering skills and pursue a great career.
“This investment and our new defence technical excellence colleges will break down barriers to opportunity for people in every corner of our country, drive economic growth as part of our Plan for Change and secure the UK’s place in the world, putting us at the cutting edge of innovation and new technology.”
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