A highly skilled future workforce to deliver Global Britain

The UK aerospace, defence, security and space sectors support more than a million jobs across the country delivering high-wage, high-skill careers that boost local economies and communities.

New Professionals Forum

The New Professionals Forum is an ADS Special Interest Group which provides a supportive networking and professional development forum for early careers professionals in our sectors. Through collaboration and information-sharing, members increase knowledge and further develop their careers.

New Professionals Forum NPF

Secondments

Secondment opportunities allow companies to broaden and develop skills within their workplace and offer career pathways for employees. ADS has been operating a successfully managed secondment programme with MBDA for a number of years and is currently extending the programme.

View ADS secondment brochure

Training

ADS has partnered with world-renowned Cranfield University to provide ADS member employees the opportunity to access a wide variety of discounted post-graduate courses to further their professional development. All ADS member employees can benefit from 10% discount on over 200 courses across a range of categories and themes.

Security Vetting Services

ADS hold the necessary accreditations to be able to offer to sponsor National Security Vetting (NSV) clearances through the Ministry of Defence (MoD) and Police for employees of member companies that meet the requirements.

Security vetting services

Diversity & Inclusion

ADS members are increasing representation in the aerospace, defence, security, and space sectors through a myriad of Diversity and Inclusion (D&I) activities and approaches.

Our D&I report published in July 2022 explores the areas of the employment outreach, recruitment, onboarding, employee experience. Some of the work ADS Members are undertaking to build more inclusive and diverse workforces is showcased as best-practice case studies highlighting efforts to fulfil industry wide targets and ambitions to build more inclusive and diverse sectors.

Through initiatives such as STEM Learning, the Women in Aviation and Aerospace Charter and Women in Defence Charter and the establishment of LGBTQ+ and EMBRACE internal networks, progress is being made to fulfil industry targets of more inclusive and diverse sectors.

STEM Outreach

ADS supports a number of STEM outreach initiatives such as Pioneers of Tomorrow and UK Rocketry Challenge help to inspire the next generation.

Talent Recruitment portal

Finding talent is a challenge expressed by many of our members.

Our Talent Recruitment Portal has the opportunity to bring our 1,200 member companies, regional association colleagues and job seekers closer together. Listing cross-sector early careers roles such as apprenticeships and graduate opportunities that are easily searchable and candidates can register their CV for members to actively find them.

We have joined forces with Talent Retention Services (TRS) to create this Portal. Using their recruitment technology and extensive people network we can amplify the exciting roles available and give ADS members a tool to access talented, creative and inquisitive people.

ADS Futures