27 Jul 2025 ● Chris Eccles
7,000 New UK Defence Jobs to Be Created By AUKUS Deal
A new UK-Australia defence treaty, signed under the AUKUS partnership, is set to create over 7,000 skilled jobs across the UK.
The AUKUS submarine programme (dubbed SSN-AUKUS) will support more than 21,000 roles at its peak, from shipbuilding and nuclear engineering to logistics and cybersecurity, with most jobs based in key areas like Barrow and Derby along with wider supply chain hubs.
The deal, expected to be worth £20 billion in exports to the UK, will seal a 50 year treaty with Australia under the AUKUS defence partnership and will be focused on building next-gen nuclear-powered submarines and developing advanced defence technologies
A lot of the investment will go into UK shipyards and research hubs, helping to build a long-term career pipeline for people entering the workforce. The deal also aligns with the government’s plan to increase defence spending to 2.6% of GDP by 2027, creating stability and investment in UK-based roles.
Commenting on the deal, David Lammy, the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs of the United Kingdom, said: “The UK-Australia relationship is like no other and in our increasingly volatile and dangerous world our anchoring friendship has a real impact in the protection of global peace and prosperity.”
“Our new bilateral AUKUS treaty is an embodiment of that, safeguarding a free and open Indo-Pacific whilst catalysing growth for both our countries. This is how our government delivers the Plan for Change, protecting our national security and stability whilst generating jobs for Brits,” added Mr Lammy.
John Healey, the UK’s Secretary of State for Defence, also commented, saying: “AUKUS is one of Britain’s most important defence partnerships, strengthening global security while driving growth at home. This historic Treaty confirms our AUKUS commitment for the next half century.”
“Through the Treaty, we are supporting high-skilled, well-paid jobs for tens of thousands of people in both the UK and Australia, delivering on our Plan for Change today and for the generations to come. There are people not yet born who will benefit from the jobs secured through this defence deal.”
“Our deep defence relationship with Australia - from our work together to support Ukraine, share vital intelligence and develop innovative technology - makes us secure at home and strong abroad,” said Mr Healy.
Why It Matters for Students
This isn’t just about submarines, it’s a once-in-a-generation expansion in UK defence jobs, backed by long-term government funding. Whether you're studying STEM subjects or looking for graduate entry routes into defence, aerospace, policy or infrastructure, this is the kind of project that could define careers for the next few decades.
