Defence Workforce Development Partnership Webinar

Sheffield Chamber of Commerce is pleased to invite employers, providers and partners to the Defence Workforce Development Partnership Webinar, focused on the skills, roles and workforce challenges facing the defence sector across South Yorkshire.

This online webinar forms part of the Local Skills Improvement Plan (LSIP) delivery phase and brings defence employers and skills partners together to ensure that industry insight directly shapes future skills priorities, workforce planning and investment decisions.

Event details

Date: 13 February 2026
Time: 10am - 11:30am
Venue: Online (joining details will be shared ahead of the session)

About the session

The defence sector is a critical part of South Yorkshire’s economy, underpinning advanced manufacturing, engineering, innovation and national resilience. However, employers continue to report persistent recruitment challenges, skills shortages and difficulties accessing suitably experienced talent.

This webinar follows a face-to-face Workforce Development Partnership workshop, where evidence and insight were gathered directly from defence employers and partners. The session will now present back those findings, highlight key themes emerging from the data, and provide space for discussion on priorities and potential solutions.

The webinar will bring together defence employers, universities, colleges and training providers to:

• Test the evidence – sense-check labour market data against real employer experience
• Clarify priority roles and skills – identify which occupations are hardest to recruit into and why
• Shape future interventions – inform training, education and workforce development activity aligned to defence needs
• Strengthen collaboration – improve alignment between employers and skills providers supporting the sector

What will be covered

The session will present insight gathered through the Defence Workforce Development Partnership and the LSIP evidence base.

Discussion will focus on:

• Roles that are consistently hardest to recruit into across the defence supply chain
• Differences between labour market data and employer experience
• Whether recruitment challenges are driven by volume, skills gaps, experience, or security requirements
• Skills shortages affecting productivity, delivery and growth
• Opportunities for employer-led interventions and targeted skills development

Attendees will also be invited to reflect on future workforce needs, replacement demand, and the balance between early-career pipelines and experienced hires.

Who should attend

This session is suitable for:

• Defence employers and supply-chain businesses
• Engineering, manufacturing and technical workforce leads
• Skills, HR and people development professionals
• Colleges, universities and training providers supporting defence pathways
• Partners involved in workforce planning, skills delivery and economic growth

Why attend

This webinar provides a key opportunity to see how employer feedback is being used, challenge emerging priorities, and help shape a skills system that supports the long-term resilience and competitiveness of the defence sector.

Insight from this session will inform a report submitted to Skills England, helping shape future skills priorities and employer-led workforce interventions across South Yorkshire.