There’s no shortage of ambition in the UK defence sector. But when it comes to delivering the programmes that underpin our national security and strategic influence, we’re facing a more fundamental problem: a lack of people.
Earlier this month, the National Audit Office (NAO) warned that the F-35 programme faces serious capabilities gaps. It said, “The capability benefits are not being fully realised due to delays, infrastructure gaps and personnel shortages.” This is not an isolated case.
From multi-domain systems to digital manufacturing, defence programmes are more complex – and more urgent – than ever. But they depend on engineering capabilities that are becoming increasingly difficult to source, scale, and sustain.
We can’t deliver future capability with a shrinking pipeline and overstretched delivery teams. If we want to strengthen national security and remain globally competitive, closing the capabilities gap in UK defence must be treated as a delivery priority, not just an HR concern.
The Scale of the Challenge
The UK needs an estimated 1 million more engineers by 2030 across all sectors. In defence, the need is particularly acute:
- 20% of the engineering workforce is due to retire in the next five years
- Graduate supply isn’t keeping pace with demand, and many new entrants lack experience with defence-grade systems
- High-assurance projects are losing time to security clearance delays, making even available talent hard to deploy at pace
The result: slowed progress, rising costs, overstretched teams – and a growing reliance on the same limited pool of contractors.
Defence Needs More Than STEM Ambitions
The UK has invested heavily in STEM promotion over the last decade – but the defence sector’s needs are unique. It’s not just about technical qualifications. It’s about domain knowledge, practical experience, and security clearance. That kind of capability doesn’t develop overnight.
We can’t afford to wait for education reforms to bear fruit. By the time today’s school leavers hit mid-career, many of our most critical defence systems will already be in service – or overdue.
This raises a pressing question for programme and capability leads: Where can we access the engineering expertise we need now – without compromising on quality, security, or assurance?
Rethinking Workforce Development: It’s Time to Go Broader and Faster
To solve this, we need to stop treating workforce strategy as a separate track from delivery. The two are inseparable. If we can’t access the right skills, we can’t deliver the programme. It’s that simple.
Here’s where progress is possible – now, not in five years:
1. STEM Returners & Career Changers
There’s a wealth of engineering talent outside the traditional graduate pipeline – people who have left the sector, worked in adjacent industries, or taken career breaks. With the right on-ramps, they could bring immediate value to defence delivery.
2. Cross-Sector Expertise
Engineers from adjacent sectors (aerospace, automotive, energy) often have transferable skills highly relevant to defence, from systems thinking to safety-critical design. But security clearance processes and siloed role profiles can prevent them from being considered. We need more flexible frameworks that enable entry without compromising assurance.
3. Inclusive Delivery Models
Too often, off-payroll workers, contractors, and smaller delivery partners are excluded from formal workforce planning. But they are doing critical work, and represent a fast route to deployable expertise. An inclusive approach that recognises the full delivery ecosystem is essential.
4. On-the-Job Experience
Theoretical knowledge alone isn’t enough. Engineers need hands-on exposure to defence-specific challenges. That means creating more placements, apprenticeships, and rotational roles that bridge the gap between training and deployment.
Delivery Capability Is Not Just a Hiring Problem
This is where professional services firms like Positiv+ Cohort can play a role.
Our focus is delivery.
We work with defence clients to ensure they can access the critical capabilities needed to progress programmes – quickly, securely, and without adding complexity to internal teams.
That can include:
- Deploying security-cleared specialists with the right technical and domain knowledge
- Taking ownership of defined outcomes within a wider programme
- Providing targeted expertise to overcome bottlenecks or manage delivery risk
We work flexibly within established frameworks – Agile, Scrum, Waterfall – adapting to your environment rather than imposing one. Every engagement is backed by our experienced PMO team, ensuring governance, continuity, and delivery momentum from start to finish.
In a climate where time, cost, and assurance are all under pressure, the ability to mobilise capability quickly is a competitive advantage. That’s what we’re built to do.
What Kind of Capability Leader Will the UK Be?
Every conversation about future capability must start with a question: do we have the people, skills and methodologies to deliver it?
The answer today is: not yet. But that can change – if we broaden our approach, tap into overlooked talent pools, and treat workforce development as a core part of the delivery strategy.
With the right people, brought in at the right time, we can move faster, deliver better, and build a stronger foundation for UK defence.
These are complex challenges, and no one has all the answers. If you’re exploring new ways to access the capabilities needed to deliver at pace, I’d welcome a conversation.