The Defence Workforce Challenge: Can People Keep Up With Rising Investment?

The UK is entering a new phase of defence investment.

Across defence, infrastructure, engineering and specialist manufacturing, major programmes are moving forward with a clear focus on increasing capacity, strengthening supply chains and improving national resilience.

But there is an important question sitting behind all that investment:

Do we have enough of the right people to deliver it?

The numbers suggest the demand is going to be significant.

In September 2026, the UK Government reported that defence spending with UK industry had reached a record £34.1 billion in 2025/26, supporting an estimated 274,000 roles across the UK. The Government's Defence Investment Plan also includes almost £300 billion of funding over the next four years, with tens of thousands of additional jobs expected to be created.

At the same time, major organisations across the infrastructure and defence supply chain are already planning workforce expansion. Balfour Beatty, for example, recently announced plans to increase its UK workforce from around 14,000 to 16,000 over the next two years to support the country's growing infrastructure pipeline.

The investment is happening.

The projects are being planned.

The technology is developing.

Now the workforce needs to keep pace.

Investment only goes so far without people

It is easy to focus on the visible side of defence investment.

New facilities.

New equipment.

New infrastructure.

Advanced technology.

Larger manufacturing capacity.

But every one of those capabilities depends on people.

Engineers need to install and maintain equipment. Technical specialists need to operate complex systems. Construction teams need to deliver infrastructure. Facilities teams need to keep sites functioning. Catering, logistics, security and welfare personnel need to support the people working in those environments.

And as projects become more complex and geographically dispersed, the workforce challenge becomes more complicated too.

It is not simply about finding more people.

It is about finding people with the right skills, experience, clearances, availability and ability to operate in the environments where they are needed.

The skills gap is becoming an operational issue

The UK Government has already recognised that defence growth will require a significant expansion of the skills pipeline.

In September, the Government announced plans to create tens of thousands of defence opportunities for young people, alongside new routes into apprenticeships, training and skilled careers. The initiative forms part of a wider effort to address the workforce requirements created by increased defence investment.

Developing the next generation of talent is essential.

But training someone today does not necessarily solve a workforce requirement tomorrow.

Large-scale projects often need experienced personnel who can step into demanding environments and contribute from day one.

That creates a dual challenge:

How do organisations develop the workforce they will need in five or ten years while also accessing the specialist capability they need now?

This is particularly relevant when projects involve remote locations, overseas operations or highly regulated environments.

The workforce challenge doesn’t stop at engineers

When people talk about defence skills, the conversation can quickly become focused on highly technical roles.

Engineers.

Cyber specialists.

Scientists.

Technicians.

Manufacturing specialists.

These roles are critical, but they are only part of the picture.

A functioning operational environment also requires the wider support infrastructure around those specialists.

Someone needs to manage facilities.

Someone needs to maintain accommodation.

Someone needs to provide catering.

Someone needs to manage logistics and transportation.

Someone needs to support welfare and day-to-day operations.

Someone needs to maintain critical systems.

Someone needs to keep the site secure.

These functions might not always attract the same attention as major defence programmes, but without them, those programmes cannot operate effectively.

Operational capability is built around more than the frontline skillset.

Remote operations make the challenge harder

Workforce planning becomes even more complex when projects move away from established infrastructure.

A major construction or defence project in a remote environment can require an entire support ecosystem to operate effectively.

Accommodation needs to be available.

Food needs to be provided.

Facilities need to be maintained.

Equipment needs to be serviced.

People need to be transported.

Supplies need to arrive.

Health, safety and compliance requirements need to be maintained.

And the workforce itself needs to be supported throughout the deployment.

The more remote the location, the less room there is for disruption.

If an experienced engineer cannot be replaced quickly, a project can lose valuable time.

If a catering team is understaffed, hundreds of personnel can be affected.

If essential maintenance cannot be completed, the wider operation can be impacted.

This is why workforce planning needs to be considered as part of operational planning rather than treated as a separate recruitment exercise.

Resilience means having options

The events of the last few years have demonstrated how quickly operating environments can change.

Geopolitical instability, disrupted supply chains, energy pressures, changing regulations and infrastructure constraints can all affect international projects.

The recent disruption around the Strait of Hormuz is another example of how events in one strategic location can have consequences far beyond the immediate region. Shipping and energy flows have been affected, while alternative routes and infrastructure have taken on greater importance.

For organisations operating internationally, resilience therefore cannot simply mean having a contingency document sitting in a drawer.

It means having the capability to respond.

That includes access to people.

It means knowing which skills are available.

Understanding where personnel can be mobilised.

Having appropriate accommodation and support infrastructure.

Understanding compliance requirements.

And having trusted partners who can help scale operations when circumstances change.

Building the workforce before the requirement becomes urgent

One of the biggest challenges for organisations involved in major projects is timing.

Waiting until a project is ready to mobilise before thinking seriously about workforce requirements can create unnecessary pressure.

By that point, specialist personnel may already be committed elsewhere.

Mobilisation windows may be tight.

Travel and accommodation may need to be arranged.

Compliance and documentation may need to be completed.

And multiple contractors may be competing for the same pool of skilled workers.

A more resilient approach is to start workforce planning much earlier.

What roles will be required?

Where will those people come from?

Which positions require specialist experience?

Which require security clearance?

Which roles can be sourced locally?

Which need international mobilisation?

What support will the workforce need once it arrives?

And perhaps most importantly:

What happens if the requirement suddenly increases?

These questions can make the difference between a workforce that is simply available on paper and one that is genuinely deployable.

People are part of the infrastructure

As defence and infrastructure investment continues to grow, the conversation needs to move beyond how much is being spent.

The more important question may be:

What does that investment allow organisations to deliver?

New equipment does not operate itself.

New facilities do not maintain themselves.

New infrastructure does not build itself.

And major projects cannot move forward without people who have the skills and support to deliver them.

The workforce is not separate from operational capability.

It is part of it.

At Deploy Link, we work across defence, infrastructure, construction, energy, facilities management and remote operations, supporting organisations with the personnel and operational capabilities required to operate in demanding environments.

Because when investment accelerates, workforce planning cannot afford to fall behind.

The projects may be ready to start.

The question is whether the people are ready to deliver them.