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^{Untapped investigates the recruitment challenges caused by the impact of university career fair exclusions for the UK’s defence industry.}

We live in a time of great global uncertainty. Businesses face many challenges and ambiguities; caused by everything from geopolitical conflicts, climate change, trade tensions, and economic slowdowns. To top it all off, the UK’s defence industry - a vital sector responsible for ensuring national security - faces an unprecedented recruitment challenge. 

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Known as one of the largest and most advanced in the world, the UK’s defence industry plays a key role in our country’s security, economic growth, and international collaborations. The sector spans major companies, government partnerships, and is involved in developing cutting-edge technology. In recent years there has been an increased focus on improving digital security and AI-driven initiatives in response to evolving situations.

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It’s an important sector indeed. The 2024 Facts and Figures report from ADS Group highlights that aerospace, defence security and space added £38.2bn to the UK economy last year. To enable this industry to continue growing and developing, it’s vital to keep attracting top talent into the field.  

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For decades now, defence firms have actively engaged with universities to help entice engineering, cyber security, and intelligence candidates to roles. However, in recent years, institutions have increasingly distanced themselves from the sector, often in response to student activism and ethical concerns over links to military involvement in global conflicts. 

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Due to mounting security concerns and student-led protests, many universities have now excluded defence firms from career fairs, recommended non-attendance, or highlighted concerns about attending. The list includes Sheffield, Liverpool, Manchester, Edinburgh, Cardiff, and Warwick universities. 

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“Edinburgh University Students’ Association holds inclusivity and equitable treatment as a pillar of our work and we strive to provide opportunities that follow the trends of students’ values and priorities,” explains Vice President Welfare, Indigo Williams. “As students have expressed increasing concern over heightened global military action, as well as the impact that they and their future employers have on the world, we made the decision not to have military personnel or parts of the armed forces present at career fairs and similar events.”

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Indigo continues: “Further, we do not allow companies that produce arms or weapons to attend. With limited space at our fairs, this not only serves to retain spots for organisations our students have expressed interest in, but also to create a safe space for our members who have been affected by ongoing global conflicts.”

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This widespread stance has appeased students and helped emphasise universities’ commitment to ethical considerations. However, defence industry leaders believe it risks weakening the UK’s ability to develop cutting-edge technologies, because it could potentially cut off a crucial pipeline of skilled graduates considering careers in the sector, causing reputational damage and decreased visibility. They argue that defence firms are not only major employers but also pioneers in innovation, contributing to advancements that extend beyond military uses. 

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Keen to eliminate barriers to employment growth, the defence industry is concerned about how these current issues might affect the long-term sustainability of the UK’s defence workforce and the resulting impact this might have on national security. In a recent survey, 66% of ADS members identified skills shortages as a primary obstacle to sector growth. So how can these challenges be overcome? 

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Insider insight 

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Untapped heard from Paul Oxley, External Affairs Director at ADS, to gain an insight into these issues. He said: “Protecting the right to protest is part of the reason our industries exist, but peaceful protest does not extend to the levels of destruction, property damage and intimidation that we are seeing throughout our industries.”

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“What is happening at universities is unhelpful against the backdrop of a skills shortage and increasing threats. Defence companies have failed to fill 10,000 job positions each year for the past three years. The scale of the protests is affecting recruitment and perceptions of the sector, which currently employs 164,000 people directly.”

Paul continues: “Organisers are advising some of our companies not to attend [university fairs] because there is likely to be protests or action. It doesn't amount to a formal ban but the net effect is exclusion. In recent months, some 20 defence companies are believed to have been either advised against attending careers fairs and university events because of security and safety fears or decided to cancel them under pressure. Those [defence companies] that did attend [university fairs] faced intimidation and harassment.”

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With fewer opportunities to engage directly with students, defence companies are concerned about seeing declining applications for graduate roles and internships. This is particularly worrying in fields such as software development, data science, and aerospace engineering, where defence firms compete with technology giants and fintech companies for top talent.

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The recruitment shortfall in the defence sector extends beyond company concerns - it could become a national security issue. The UK relies on a highly skilled workforce capable of designing and maintaining advanced defence systems. A decline in available talent could undermine the country’s self-sufficiency.

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