Military honours: career openings in the defence industry

Changing security threats and global instability has increased the need for skilled engineers in the defence industry. 

Donald Trump vowed during his campaign that he would make the US military so big and powerful that “nobody – absolutely nobody – is going to mess with us”. The shares of global defence companies, including major players in the UK, rallied at his claim. But despite promises to increase military spending, Trump’s unique form of diplomacy has created a volatile landscape for defence companies around the world.

This instability, alongside rapidly changing security threats, has forced firms to innovate and respond to shifting demands faster than ever. British companies are leaders at doing this, and the figures prove it. The UK has the third-largest defence budget globally, which increased for the first time in six years last year to £35.1bn. Overall, the sector employs 142,000 people in the UK and supports a further 111,000 people indirectly. It has seen a 29 per cent growth in productivity, compared to the 2 per cent seen by the overall UK economy.