Hampshire Chamber urges national action to tackle ‘critical skills challenge’ in defence and aerospace
Hampshire’s position as a nationally significant centre for defence and aerospace is at risk unless urgent action is taken to address a critical and accelerating shortage of workplace skills, research commissioned by Hampshire Chamber of Commerce has found.
The research white paper, Shortage to Skills Strategy: A Blueprint for Defence and Aerospace Talent in Hampshire, identifies acute shortages across roles including licensed aircraft engineers, precision machinists, CNC operators, composites specialists, microcontroller technicians and advanced engineering professionals.
Developed by consultancy CHLLNGR as part of the Chamber-led Local Skills Improvement Plan (LSIP) for Hampshire and The Solent, the report highlights growing concerns over the loss of experienced engineers through retirement and an insufficient pipeline of younger people entering the sector.
Ross McNally, Hampshire Chamber’s Chief Executive and Executive Chairman, pictured, said: “This is not simply a local recruitment issue. Hampshire’s defence and aerospace capability is vital to the UK’s strategic industrial and national security infrastructure, meaning the consequences of failing to develop the workforce extend well beyond Hampshire.
“If we get this critical skills challenge wrong, the impact will be felt not only in our region but across the UK’s defence and aerospace supply chain.”
The report calls for a coordinated, employer-led approach to skills, moving beyond recruitment to focus on developing, retaining and attracting talent.
Key recommendations include a ‘defence engineering skills accord’, bringing major contractors, SMEs and education providers together to share workforce forecasts, and an ‘engineer pipeline dashboard’ tracking apprenticeships, engineering licence achievements, retirement trends and regional training capacity.
The Chamber is also calling for clearer routes into licensed aircraft engineering, expanded work placements and employer-set projects, industry-standard tooling in colleges, and stronger employer involvement in practical assessments and curriculum design.
The research highlights opportunities to widen Hampshire’s talent pool through a dedicated talent visa route, a remote-first defence skills hub and an international skills exchange with universities overseas. A returners-to-engineering initiative would encourage retired and semi-retired engineers to contribute through mentoring, training and assessment.
Artificial intelligence is identified as an emerging challenge, with the report recommending an AI ‘integrity framework’ to help employers and educators address misuse and over-reliance while ensuring students retain the ability to critically assess AI-generated information.
The Chamber is also backing proposals for an MoD skills liaison office for Hampshire, alongside a navigation toolkit for SMEs and a joint further education-MoD industry skills taskforce to make defence procurement and skills opportunities easier to access.
Ross said: “There is already a huge amount of capability in Hampshire, but it is not always connected effectively.
“We now call on businesses, education providers and government stakeholders to engage with our recommendations and help develop a coordinated implementation programme.”
The wider, three-year LSIP for Hampshire and The Solent was launched in July 2026. Its aims include narrowing workplace skills gaps, highlighting training opportunities and supporting the growth of Hampshire’s regional economy.
To download ‘Shortage to Skills Strategy: A Blueprint for Defence and Aerospace Talent in Hampshire’, visit https://www.hampshirechamber.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/Challngr-WHITE-PAPER-Privacy-Version-AS.pdf.