VerbatimParliament, as it happens

Defence: Apprentices

Asked by Jim ShannonDemocratic Unionist PartyMinistry of DefenceTabled Answered 1 April 2026UIN 122666

The question

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what steps he is taking to expand defence-related apprenticeships.

Answered by Luke Pollard

The Ministry of Defence already supports over 460,000 jobs and 25,000 apprentices across the UK, providing sustainable, high-quality, well-paying jobs.

Alongside the Defence Industrial Strategy, the Ministry of Defence announced a £182 million skills package that includes a range of initiatives to support defence-oriented careers and apprenticeships UK-wide. This includes initiatives such as establishing five Defence Technical Excellence colleges in England, and the creation of the Apprenticeship and Graduate Clearing System which will become live in due course.

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