The defence industry is being cut off from a significant portion of the UK engineering graduate pipeline because a large proportion of students on advanced engineering courses at leading universities come from overseas and cannot obtain the security clearances needed to work on sensitive defence programmes, a senior industry figure has told the Scottish Affairs Committee.
Cathy Kane, LTPA Portfolio Director at QinetiQ, told the committee on Wednesday that the scale of the problem was visible from her position on an industry advisory board at University College London, saying that “a vast number of the students on the course come from overseas countries” and that for the defence industry, “being able to pull in people coming off those courses and bring them into our industry is a challenge, because we work on sensitive programmes.”
The issue compounds an already significant skills challenge facing the sector, in which the defence industry is competing for a pool of UK-born engineering graduates that is considerably smaller than the total number of people studying engineering, while simultaneously trying to persuade more young people to choose engineering over more financially attractive careers in financial services and other sectors. QinetiQ’s Kane said that encouraging people in the UK to continue with professional careers in STEM subjects was “really key” and that the industry needed to help people see “the attractive careers in defence that are available.”
Babcock’s John Howie reinforced the point from a different angle, noting that the industry needed more UK nationals for work that could not be done remotely or overseas and where staff needed to be physically present on secure sites, saying “it is not work that we can do overseas or farm out, even for people to do from home necessarily.” He said the cultural challenge of making defence an attractive career for a broader range of UK graduates remained significant, noting that it was still true that more engineering graduates in the UK joined financial services organisations than engineering companies, describing that as something government and industry needed to work together to turn around.
QinetiQ’s Kane also flagged that delays in domestic orders caused by the strategic defence review and defence industrial strategy had already slowed the company’s growth in the first half of 2025, and said the opportunity to have a long-term strategic vision was the most helpful thing government could provide to allow the industry to adapt, plan and ensure it had the right pipeline of skilled people in place to deliver what was needed.
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Hah! As if!
I’m just finishing up an aerospace engineering degree from one of the top three universities for the subject.
You cannot even apply for an internship with a large defence contractor without a ten-stage programme of bullshit: play a stupid game where you add numbers together! Match the emotion to the face! And then record yourself answering some questions given to you by the computer! (Looking at you, BAE and Rolls-royce).
The organisations have zero respect for students or their time. From contacts who have ended up at BAE, the work is dull and uninspiring – all spreadsheets with little real engineering.
I cannot reconcile a lot of the industry’s rhetoric: “skills shortage! No engineers! No pilots!” With my lived experience – everyone graduating from my course struggling to find employment; and those who had been grinding flying lessons and air squadron involvement on the side being rejected from military pilot training.
The concept of these companies paying scholarships is frankly laughable when they currently seem determined to do everything possible to discourage the pursuit of a career in defence. I know I certainly won’t be applying to one for the foreseeable future.
The answer is putting out level 6 apprenticeships..
Read a history book about Britain in the 20th Century. People think of post WW2 as the welfare state. The author argued it was the warfare state. The USSR posed an existential crisis. At the time the government tried to prioritise people getting into science and engineering because it was a necessity. Now it’s all random degrees. I did engineering and people looked down on it…by people doing simple degrees like political science. I think the Thatcher obsession with services didn’t help. Now the MOD is filled with talkers. So if we want a world where we can get a carrier to the middle east with more than one functioning escort ship, I would say pay the foreign students, as clearly Brit’s do not want to do it.
Unfortunately that isn’t going to work as universities worship at the alter of ££££.
Foreign students pay more than domestic students so are prioritised. That is the bit that needs to be fixed.
No, wrong. Many Brits can’t afford £40 to £60k of debt and if studying at top tier STEM like Imperial college, firstly no grant will be enough for rent in London unless student is at home with parents in London, secondly just try being a home student applying to Imperial . Lol.
They are either top Private or boarding schools ( again if British nationality,not sure) but mostly it’s for overseas students. I lived by Imperial for a while and don’t remember seeing many British Nationals studying there…years back. They want the foreign student fees. So they block out domestic despite saying they hold a percentage of places. Which is really sad. There’s a huge STEM talent pool in London who would give eye teeth to train and learn at Imperial,but pipe dream for them.
You don’t have to go to the very very top school to study engineering or science. Most universities, as well as companies that recruit, are desperate for more people to join up. At least half young Brits go to uni and if they can pay for an arts degree, they can pay for an engineering degree. So enough of your excuses.
> Many Brits can’t afford £40 to £60k of debt
That’s not how the student loan works. Like, at all.
That is nothing to do with Defence. That is a general issue with going to university or not going (And I agree with you that it is not fair that some people cannot go due to finances – 100%). What I am saying is that at least 50% do go and it does not cost more to pick engineering or science than political studies or poetry.
Maybe I replied to the wrong person, but I’m sure I replied to JM.
The public still has it in their mind that student loans operate like a normal debt which somehow hangs over people’s heads like a credit card or mortgage.
Sorry you are completely right. I am being a muppet and getting commenting wrong (would expect it more of my parents! – who I do love dearly)
As a (british national) student just finishing an MSc in aero eng at Imperial, I feel I can add a little to the discussion :).
While the MSc course in particular is nearly entirely foreign students (split pretty evenly between US, Europe, and Chinese), the undergrad course (which has an integrated master’s) has a majority british students, and typically higher attainment. In general, the MSc seems to largely be seen as a way to buy into the Imperial brand, which is a bit depressing.
However, my experience is that the shortage is on the side of demand, not supply. Competition for jobs is fierce, and knowing someone on the inside to grease your way in is the norm, rather than the exception. Friends from my previous university (which is also in the top 5 for aerospace engineering in the UK) are struggling to find jobs even with first-class degrees.
If defence companies are struggling to hire british students, then it’s a case of “tried nothing and all out of ideas”. Go to universities and say: “We need you guys, send us your CV and tell us why you want the job, and we’ll get you an interview ASAP” – Problem solved.
You’re absolutely right about the foreign student tuition fees. I work at an Engineering Dept. at a university; universities right now are singularly obsessed with acquiring oversees students because their uncapped tuition fees. I would say at least half the yearly student cohort right now are international and many of them can barely speak or write English (and many of them produce coursework that looks mysteriously like an AI has done it for them – very hard to prove of course but it’s kind of obvious when you know what to look for).
Now international student numbers are starting to tail off a bit and the universities are starting quietly panic about it. I have always thought the academic sector really ought to have known better than to put all their eggs in one basket (by relying far too heavily on the assumption that international student numbers will continue to increase). Of course their response to this is…..to propose raising tuition fees! Personally I think we should fire most of the countries vice-chancellors (would save the sector a vast annual expenditure and reduce the weekly site wide emails I have to delete)….but that’s just my opinion.
Sadly I believe, wrong. Many Brits can’t afford £40 to £60k of debt and if studying at top tier STEM like Imperial college, firstly no grant / loan will be enough for rent in London unless student is at home with parents in London, secondly just try being a home student applying to Imperial . It’s not likely going to end up as an admission.
They are either top Private or boarding schools ( again if British nationality,not sure) but mostly it’s for nearly all overseas students. I lived by Imperial for a while and don’t remember seeing many British Nationals studying there…years back. They want the foreign student fees. So they block out domestic despite saying they hold a percentage of places. Which is really sad. There’s a huge STEM talent pool in London who would give eye teeth to train and learn at Imperial,but pipe dream for them.
I think paid technical degree apprenticeships need to be the way to go and snap kids up at their A level colleges. The other thing, recruit from Anglo Ally commonwealth again like Canada,Aus,NZ. But that depends on how things go with UK US relations ,sadly. Canada is massively ramping up military and spending. From my limited experience of knowing Canadian vets in Air force for example, the pay and benefits are unreal good. As they should be top tier pay and support.
After hearing about lack of welders and loads of jobs in welding, I completed my level 2 MIg welding course and surprise surprise like always there’s no jobs in welding at all, can’t even get an interview after being promised by the college there would be apprenticeships at the end of the course. Country is in complete mess when it comes to heavy industry. They are going bust or trying to stay afloat and not hiring because of Labour’s green levies and tax rises. It seems those who are holding on are hoping for a Reform government soon or starmer to be replaced by a labour leader who cut their taxes and energy costs.
That is very interesting.
Care to elaborate on your location etc?
Are you near any of the yards?
I know a guy based in the Scottish central belt at a firm I did a work placement in, ex army engineer. Absolute master welder, made parts for Skyrora rated to 350bar pressures. He was looking to change jobs, so took a look at welding nuclear submarines in Faslane. To his surprise there was little available and the pay was worse than at this small engineering firm! He’s since set up his own business.
As a british national aero engineering student about to graduate, I can also confirm that if there is any shortage or hiring drive at defence contractors, they have done precisely f all to advertise this or invite applications. I know very few of my classmates who have jobs lined up post-uni.
The defence firms thought that they would be ramping up but no DIP so hiring??
The shipyards need less people with better skills and motivation – there are a lot of placeholders.
Two points
First what about us old folk, the ones with experience, we can’t even get interviews while we have a good deal of knowledge, experience and capability we don’t get interviews because we are over 50 despite many of us being a lot fitter than lost kids.
Second, I got my degree from a military college, one that no longer does degrees, in fact one the MoD sold off to Cranfield. Perhaps the answer lies in spending money in the UK.
Of course we know the civil service wants us undefended with nothing but American shit that the Americans control and track (like the f35 that can’t be used for anything except as a doorstop if the yanks decide their best buddy Putin should be allowed to invade). Struth we are apparently going to replace the red arrows planes with lore American shit instead of having the jobs to build new planes in the UK
Don’t worry, us young folk can’t get interviews either.
I suppose not, lets face it Milibrain has crushed any last vestiges of hope for industry by his ridiculously expensive energy, no government in the UK has bought British for 50 years or more and we are totally buggered, you can sometimes find work licking the boots of your betters but it’s rare.
Two points
First what about us old folk, the ones with experience, we can’t even get interviews while we have a good deal of knowledge, experience and capability we don’t get interviews because we are over 50 despite many of us being a lot fitter than lost kids.
Second, I got my degree from a military college, one that no longer does degrees, in fact one the MoD sold off to Cranfield. Perhaps the answer lies in spending money in the UK.
Of course we know the civil service wants us undefended with nothing but American shit that the Americans control and track (like the f35 that can’t be used for anything except as a doorstop if the yanks decide their best buddy Putin should be allowed to invade). Struth we are apparently going to replace the red arrows planes with lore American shit instead of having the jobs to build new planes in the UK
Oh, while I am at it let’s have a few lore comments.
We have a russian stooge as president of our supposed friend, one who even as we speak is being given intelligence that he has been proven to share with Putin, someone who is plotting to give away our land. And of course we managed to give security clearance to a paedophile who gave away British financial secrets to his supplier, Epstein, and who still hasn’t been thrown in jail for either.
Given that being a foreign student or having lived abroad can’t possibly be any issue
It’s always the same listening to TDS victims crying about imaginary scenarios but ignoring Comrade Starmer and his communist goons🤡
When clueless, blame outsiders. They’re hardly ever going to respond anyway.
Well i studied engineering manufacturing in 6th form, (2 points away from a distinction btw), tried for apprenticeships at various workshops/companies… nothing. Every entry level job i then applied for to stay in the field said i didn’t have enough workshop experience, even though the whole 2 years of the course were also actual workshop hours.
I’m a marine design engineer (BEng degree in marine engineering gained in 2014) I haven’t been out of work since leaving. Worked for BMT, super yacht design, Babcock, Pendennis, sunseeker etc etc. if you want it and work hard there are jobs for UK nationals. If you want it.
This was also going in during my time in the late 1970s/early 80s with regard to engineering degrees. I also think that the quality of the courses delivered suffered because of this. It looked to me, at the time, that the unis/polys were more interested in getting the cash and churning out as many students as possible from whoever would pay. National security also suffered too, as well as little motivation for UK students. I suspect things have not changed.
I have two way solutions for this . First, if the foreign students who paid through their nose are good after offering engineering courses in UK varcities, why not offer them citizenship and absorb them into military engineering?
Secondly, make it lucrative, by Offering young Britts juicy packages in the military engineering fields. The while essence of living is money, Lifestyle and affordability. Peoppe want to better their lives while on earth. Why would a young lad put all on the line for peanut when he can equally learn some codings, buy bitcoin and make huge profits and live large? Govt should entice the younger generation with scholarship and infact make certain courses free
Giving a Foreign National citizenship doesn’t make them security cleared!! The reason for the British Nationality requirement is to make it easy to screen you and your history. Imagine a UK agency trying to trace someone’s contacts and past in India or Pakistan or China.
How these executives gained control of our industrial base (even the little that remains) with such a lack of inspiration as they display is worth examining.
Open your own schools why don’t you? There will be the usual outrage that applicants will undergo vetting but who cares? The country has had enough of virtue. Many roles, even quite humble ones are dependent on such checks.
Employers won’t pay enough to attract top talent, then complain about it. Does that sum the article up well enough?
I’m an admissions tutor in a leading engineering school. It’s absolute nonsense to claim that UK students are being denied places because of international students on engineering degrees. In fact, it’s quite the opposite. The fees paid by international students keep many university departments afloat.
If industry is finding that engineering graduates are choosing higher paid jobs in the city then they need to pay more. If £50k of debt is putting students off studying, then offer scholarships. Instead industry (and I don’t just mean the defence industry) is happy to pass on the cost of education to students.
They are correct in saying that a large proportion of the grads are not British, and the majority at Russel group unis.
My opinion: The issue defence has with recruitment is probably more to do with salaries and conditions. I doubt they are recruiting the majority of British grads, so what difference would a bigger pool make? Its just more for them to fail to recruit! I studied engineering, I work elsewhere because the salary is probably 50% more (tech). Lots of my colleagues used to work in defence or for MOD DPA. Poor salary, intrusive background check, backwards working environment. I mean why would you bother?