Vital skills to "stop war and Putin" pushed as millions allocated to new university places boosting Royal Navy
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Crucial investment for defence sector skills could be coming to Portsmouth as millions of pounds will be set aside for new university places.
Defence minister Luke Pollard announced that £80m will be handed to higher education establishments for subjects applicable to the defence sector. From engineering placements to computer science, universities will be bidding for investment into subjects that support the Royal Navy and wider sector.
Mr Pollard described the facilities at the University of Portsmouth (UOP), and the training being offered to students, is fantastic. He told The News: “I want to see more students working in the defence industry.
“To see the robotics labs and the myriad of capabilities that our military and industry needs, shows exactly why we’re investing in skills. To get our armed forces in the best possible position to deter aggression and defeat it, we need a stronger industry to stand behind them. I want universities like Portsmouth to train more people to support that effort.”
The minister of defence readiness and industry added: “If we are to increase deterrence to stop a war and stop Putin threatening the UK and our allies, we need more of the latest equipment and stronger defence industries that are always on.”
How will the funding be allocated?
A total of £50m will be invested into funding 2,400 student places nationally over the next six years. The other £30m will be used to improve university facilities, so students can be taught in better buildings and get their hands on the latest equipment.
Bidding for funds will open from next week. These will be evaluated from the middle of March. The goal is for the investment to be in place by the next academic year. Educational establishments with strong ties to defence firms and the armed forces for work experience, and are signing up for the Defence University Alliance (DUA) - such as UOP - are believed to be in a favourable position to secure the investment.
The DUA will be a national network of universities that work in partnership with the MoD, armed forces, and defence sector, to support innovative projects and encourage graduates to take up careers in the field. UOP boasts an extreme environments lab where equipment and clothing can be tested in harsh environments of extreme cold and heat.
It also has a swimming flume housed in an environmental chamber, as well as a robotics lab and space mission circulator. Professor Graham Galbraith, vice chancellor, said it’s great the government is focusing on defence skills development, as technology is advancing rapidly.
He said: “We need the very best people and the very best technology being deployed. It’s great to be hosting the minister, but it’s a competition. We’ll be putting in strong bids and we’re hoping for a positive outcome.
“Many students see the technological advancements in the defence sector as interesting, so they’re looking for careers there. Our region, particularly in space, has a high concentration of businesses. Coming together is a real opportunity for them and the wider sector.
“Most students want to work somewhere that’s interesting, challenging, pays well, and gives them career opportunities. The defence sector offers that. We work effectively with the Royal Navy, and any money to support that link and make sure we’re doing the things the military need for the future is very important.”
What do the students think?
Mechanical engineering students were hard at work showcasing their projects while guests were given a tour of the robotics lab. Third year student Matt Llewellyn, 22, said he’s learning various skills such as computer aided engineering to create various designs, which is being used to design an electric vehicle.
“Investment into this sector is only a good thing,” he added. “It’ll help increase our opportunities with visiting companies to see what they do and learn how we can apply our skills.
“A barrier for a lot of students is not thinking they’re good enough to start their first job. Getting the knowledge and security can only be a good thing. It makes them more comfortable and leads to better results when they’re in that job.”
Joshua Bennett Santamaria said the course has taught him everything from the fundamentals of engineering through tech drawing, and Computer Aided Design (CAD). “Extra funding for defence is brilliant,” he added. “More manufacturing at uni is always a good thing.
“Lots of people on the course do go into good jobs in placement years and graduate roles. Many went to Jaguar Land Rover, Bentley, and other big companies such as Rolls Royce and BAE. I have a placement in motorsport, but defence is a stable career path going forward.”
First year student Mina Abbasi added: “It’s been really challenging but in a really good way. I knew nothing to start with, but now I’m ahead of my year and prepared for anything that comes. In such a competitive degree, it’s always good to have funding to boost our employability.”
How will this support the Royal Navy and armed forces?
Mr Pollard believes the skills investment will help break the stigma the defence sector has in universities. Many firms, such as BAE Systems and Lockheed Martin, have had their careers stands picketed across the UK due to components being purchased by Israel from the global arms pool and used during conflicts in Gaza.
The Labour politician believes a stronger focus on skills and producing equipment is needed to support the armed forces in the future. “We recognise there hasn’t been enough investment in skills for many many years,” he added.
“This investment will help people move into defence and defence-adjacent jobs. We need an ecosystem that sits behind defence which provides the innovation, equipment, and support that our forces need to keep the country safe. Our forces are only as strong as the industry behind it.”
The government is setting aside £182m to create defence technical excellence colleges, with bidding still open. Given Portsmouth’s link to the Royal Navy and an abundance of defence firms, local schools have a unique advantage compared to their rivals.
“I know there will be strong bids for DTECS, and from universities for this funding” the Labour politician said. “As the minister who makes that decision, I won’t be able to give hints away. When it comes to what I’ve seen today, this is exactly what we’re looking for.
“You only need to turn on your phone to see that the world is a more dangerous place. We can’t just buy missiles every now and then, we need to have a better system to buy the equipment we need. All that tech is built by people, so we need to make the case that they’re good well-paying jobs. They can earn a good wage and keep our country safe. The more we can provide better student places and make that case, the stronger Britain will be.”