- Partnership between Ministry of Defence and Department for Work and Pensions will boost Armed Forces training and careers
- Move will create opportunities for tens of thousands of young people and bring skills into Armed Forces, strengthening Britain’s defence at time of rising threats
- Young people will benefit from mentoring by serving personnel from diverse backgrounds and work coaches will receive specialist training to better promote Armed Forces opportunities
People looking for a career in the Armed Forces will receive advice directly from military personnel in their local jobcentre, under new plans to boost military recruitment.
Opening up opportunities for tens of thousands of young people, the new agreement between the Ministry of Defence and Department for Work and Pensions (signed Wednesday 11 February) will connect Jobcentre Plus directly to military training and careers. Jobcentre staff will provide guidance on immediate opportunities, spanning roles from engineering and cyber, to healthcare and logistics.
It will give young people skills for life and boost critical defence roles, helping our Armed Forces to meet growing security challenges. For the first time, military career opportunities will be actively promoted to jobseekers through the Jobcentre Plus network.
Armed Forces Career Offices (the military’s local recruitment hubs across the UK) will be partnered with JobCentres and local Armed Forces Champions. The partnership is open to all jobseekers, with targeted support for care leavers and underrepresented groups through DWP’s Youth Hubs, breaking down barriers to defence careers and widening the pool of talented people considering a future in the Armed Forces.
Minister for Veterans and People, Louise Sandher-Jones MP said
I know first-hand what a career in the Armed Forces can do for young people. It gave me skills, purpose and opportunities I might never have found otherwise. This partnership is about making sure more people get that same chance – especially those who’ve never had defence on their radar.
Britain’s security is stronger when our Armed Forces draw from the whole of society. By reaching young people where they are, we’re opening doors and building the diverse, talented force our country needs.
After years of hollowing out, this Government is renewing the nation’s contract with those who serve, delivering the largest pay rise in 20 years, scrapping 100 outdated recruitment policies, and introducing the first-ever Armed Forces Commissioner to improve service life.
The announcement comes during National Apprenticeships Week and, as the Armed Forces is the largest apprenticeship provider in the country, jobseekers will also learn about alternative entry routes available. These include over 100 apprenticeship programmes ranging from GCSE to Masters level, with training in sectors with transferable skills, from aviation engineering to medical services.
A new pilot in the West Midlands will also trial specialist Armed Forces recruitment support as part of the Government’s Youth Guarantee. The area has the highest youth unemployment in the country, where 9.6% of 18–24-year-olds claim unemployment related benefits. The Royal Navy, Army, and Royal Air Force will nominate a dedicated representative to deliver tailored engagement activities for jobseekers and DWP work coaches to highlight the range of opportunities available in the Armed Forces.
Work coaches will receive improved training, including visits to Army and RAF sites to broaden their knowledge of the breadth of roles available in the military. This will better equip them to identify individuals who may be well suited to a Service career and signpost them to opportunities.
Young people will also hear from serving personnel about their experiences of Service life through a mix of virtual and face-to-face events. For example, Royal Navy Mentoring Circles will connect young people with inspiring role models—building their confidence, sharpening their employability and showing them what an Armed Forces career could look like.
Minister for Skills, Baroness Jacqui Smith, said;
Apprenticeships are one of the best ways for young people to take the first step in their career, gaining qualifications and real-world experience that set them up for life.
The Armed Forces offers apprenticeships across an extraordinary range of careers – from cyber security and aviation engineering to healthcare and logistics.
A career in the military doesn’t just open doors to a job; it builds skills, discipline and confidence that last a lifetime. This partnership will help more young people discover the breadth of opportunities available to them and take the first step towards a rewarding future.
The government is providing the largest pay rise for military personnel in decades, scrapping 100 outdated recruitment policies, and introducing the first-ever Armed Forces Commissioner. This comes alongside a fast-track Cyber Direct Entry scheme with starting salaries over £40,000, and a Foundation Scheme offering young people a paid “gap year” in uniform.
It follows a wider drive to boost opportunities available to young people; an £820 million investment in the Youth Guarantee to support almost one million young people will create 350,000 new training and workplaces, 55,000 guaranteed jobs for the long-term unemployed, over 360 youth hubs across Great Britain.
Notes to Editors
- As the UK’s number one apprenticeship provider, the Armed Forces offer more than 100 different apprenticeship programmes from GCSE to Masters level, with over 13,000 personnel starting nationally recognised qualifications each year.
- The West Midlands Youth Trailblazer is one of eight trailblazers across England which are testing innovative ways to identify young people most at risk of falling out of education, employment or training and matching them up to local training or job opportunities.
- The partnership enables Defence to respond quickly to civilian sector redundancies through DWP’s Rapid Response Service, offering alternative career pathways careers when large-scale job losses occur.
- The government also launched a major investigation spearheaded by Alan Milburn which will investigate the barriers preventing young people from accessing work.