Innovation starts here
“Innovation starts here, advancing defence technology to keep the nation safe”, defence strapline for Plymouth Science Park Ltd, venue for this months South West Regional Defence & Security Cluster Cluster Industrial Strategy Event, co-hosted with ADS Group Ltd.
Reflecting back on the update that Chair, Neil Skelland shared, it truly does show the power and enormity of the cluster, how the triple helix model works, and the impact that Copper Turtle has felt as a result of it. Chris Wardman, I think you would agree.
In summary, over the last 2 years, the cluster has delivered:
25 events, over 2,500 registrants (40% increase on 2024)
Where over 630 organisations participated
With 7 local governments, 33 other government bodies
And 11 academic bodies, including 6 universities and 4 FE colleges
So, even though the #SDR (Strategic Defence Review) and #DIS (Defence Industrial Strategy) only came out earlier this year, and we are still waiting for the #DIP (Defence Investment Plan), time did has not stood still for industry engaging with the cluster across the defence and security sector.
So why should it stand still on the challenge around skills and capability? It shouldn’t in my view, we should be very much past the debating stage, and ready to deliver an action plan. With Australia now engaging with school children as young as 3 years old on STEM, we have to be brave and break the mould of what we have always done, or we will continue to lose our engineering capability here in the UK.
With Plymouth’s predicted need for 25k new roles over the coming years, we really do need a different way of working, and I hope that the launch of the UK Ministry of Defence DTECs will help to drive that across nation, and our region. Here in the Great South West, we have over 37k employed in defence, making us the 2nd largest region in the UK.
It was great to hear Fred Thomas MP speak about how “our UK supply chain is a National asset, coveted particularly by the US and Europe”, so I think it’s really important that we mean what we say when it comes to choosing UK Sovereign Capability.
Talking to one member at the event, this can be your USP as a business, particularly when your competitors are cheaper because their production is done overseas. What you need to do is be proud, and shout about what makes you different!
With the Defence Secretary, John Healey MP speaking this week about the threats to the UK and our capability, now could not be a more important time to be a UK business operating in defence and security.
Great to see lots of familiar faces, but fantastic to meet Alexandra Lakin (BSc Hons), Bob Evans CEng MIET, Charles Hammond, Andrew Taylor and Debbie Joce MA FCIPD .
