The Foundation of Defence Readiness is our people 

Defence readiness is often discussed in terms of equipment, platforms and investment. Yet to deliver the Defence Investment Plan nearly 60,000 direct and indirect industry jobs will need to be created by the end of the decade, on top of existing defence-supported employment. The question is: how can we ensure our industry is an attractive, accessible destination for future talent, enabling us to close this gap?

PentenAmio’s Group Marketing Director, Louise Speaight, recently had the pleasure of chairing a Women in Defence UK and Women in Defence Charter virtual event on this subject. 

She shares some of her thoughts and key takeaways below.

The perception of defence 

Many people assume that working within defence means putting on a uniform and going into the Armed Forces. Ultimately, working in defence is about protecting our way of life and with it, the safety and security of our day-to-day society.  

“My route into defence was something of a happy accident” Louise explains. “Having worked within the industry for over 8 years, it’s this mission that instils a deep sense of pride and keeps me here. It’s also what gets many of my industry colleagues out of bed in the morning.”  
 
Louise believes that this sense of purpose comes from the human element; our skilled workforce, the customers who we serve, and the people who they protect. 

“If we can showcase that human element, and promote role models that are a true reflection of our diverse population, I think defence can appeal to people from a wider demographic.” 

Developing talent, not just recruiting for the here and now 

Sometimes when candidates are hired to meet a current requirement, they become confined to that role indefinitely (or until they get fed up and leave the business, or worse, the industry).  

Looking through a lens of what future requirements might look like rather than the requirement immediately in front of us could shift our focus from a short-term to a mid- to longer-term one.  

Encouragingly, lots is being done at the Early Careers levels to bring fresh skills into defence, but what about the vast number of people approaching retirement? There is a significant skills gap that will need to be addressed when these individuals retire. 

Companies must provide ways for people to pivot and develop to meet new capabilities and demands. Without these pathways, organisations tend to seek candidates who have been there, done it, and got the T-shirt. Unfortunately, that talent pool is small and not very diverse. 

Organisations who have been more purposeful with their diversity strategy could be sitting on a wealth of talent. Driving the right company culture and promoting the right leadership opens doors for employees to fully explore their long-term career options, not just their role today. 

“Support networks also allow people to thrive,” says Louise. “Employee networks and social value groups, like those we have at PentenAmio, provide a space for employees to act as change agents for the business, allowing them to explore and develop skills beyond their day jobs.” 

She believes this builds a sense of belonging – creating an environment where people want to work. This not only attracts talent into our industry, but also ensures people can be nurtured, developed and retained. 

People: Defence’s most important capability 

Attracting top talent, supporting progression, retaining expertise, and enabling people to build long-term careers across defence should be viewed as critical for building and sustaining readiness.  

“We all play a part in improving the perception of our industry,” says Louise. “It’s down to us to create a genuine sense of belonging across our workforce, so that others feel compelled to join.”  
 
Ultimately, if ‘readiness’ is about being prepared for tomorrow’s challenges, then investing in people must be viewed with the same strategic importance as investing in technology.  
 

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