Defence training to be ramped up to 'war-time pace' to get Britain ready for potential conflict

The Government has confirmed five "defence technical excellence colleges" will be set-up as part of a £182 million funding package to focus on skills needed by the defence industry.

The funding will be earmarked for:

• Regional STEM initiatives for "thousands" of school-age students over the next four years to pursue careers in defence.
• Targeted short courses for people already working in specific defence industries.
• Higher education investment to increase places on defence-related courses.
• A new apprenticeship and graduate clearing system.

The £182 million funding package will be at the heart of a new defence industrial strategy to be unveiled on Monday.

The Ministry of Defence (MoD) said the strategy would offer opportunities for young people, help veterans into employment and "equip the UK workforce with the expertise" needed for "the demands of a rapidly-evolving defence sector to innovate at a wartime pace".

The strategy will frame defence as "the engine room for national renewal" and seek to equip workers with skills needed for the future, such as submarine engineers and cyber warfare specialists.

Defence Secretary John Healey said the drive was "the biggest defence skills plan in decades" and would help to boost both national security and jobs creation.

Education Secretary Bridget Phillipson said it would "break down barriers to opportunity for people in every corner of our country".