Schoolchildren engaged in STEM and engineering with Babcock at WestminsterBabcock is set to lead a new STEM pilot in Plymouth as part of a major Government £182 million national skills initiative under the
Defence Industrial Strategy (DIS), aimed at tackling critical skills gaps in engineering, cyber and other defence sectors.
The details of the pilot were announced at the recent Engineering Skills: Powering UK Defence event in Parliament. The programme will see Babcock coordinate a series of STEM engagement activities for local schools, with a focus on those that have had little or no previous STEM involvement. The Plymouth pilot will act as a blueprint for future regional STEM programmes across the UK, demonstrating the value of industry-led engagement in areas with significant defence activity. STEM sessions under the pilot will begin in March or April 2026 and run until the end of the academic year in July.
Neil Young, global engineering capability director at Babcock, said: “The world needs more engineers and we need them now. As a major UK defence company, Babcock delivers both employment and economic growth, investing in skills development and future talent across the UK and beyond.
“Demand for sovereign engineering skills continues to soar and partnerships like this are vital in helping us to secure the skills and talent pipeline needed to underpin national security. Our mission is to break down barriers and make engineering accessible, available and within reach of every schoolchild in the country.”
At the Engineering Skills: Powering UK Defence event, Louise Atkinson, chief people officer at Babcock, highlighted the breadth of skills programmes the company is investing in, from welding and cyber apprenticeships through to career paths for veterans.
Over the next five years, an additional 834,000 jobs are expected to be created in the clean energy, defence, digital and housebuilding industries, boosting combined workforce across these sectors to 5.3 million by 2030.