Following the launch of the Workforce Foresighting Hub, the DNE Skills Team has been collaborating across The Enterprise to build a future‑ready defence workforce. As new technology emerges, we are identifying the organisational capabilities necessary to ensure that we have the right people, with the right skills, ready to deliver future‑ready defence capabilities.
The recently launched Workforce Foresighting Cycle focuses on accelerating advanced welding automation – using robotics, in‑series volumetric inspection, machine vision and AI – to ensure production continuity in defence assets. Integrating these will transform heavy‑fabrication welding from manual, resource‑intensive tasks into adaptive, automated processes.
This cycle addresses the urgent challenges ahead with the aim of reducing skills shortages by 2030 through automation and advanced technologies – such as robotics, electron beam and laser welding, and digital twins – supporting workforce renewal, upskilling, reskilling, and will deliver faster, right‑first‑time builds.
Aligned with the UK Government’s British Energy Security Strategy, this shift towards intelligent welding automation is critical to sustaining strategic defence assets amid ageing workforces and increased infrastructure demands. These technologies will improve safety and quality assurance and strengthen resilience and sovereign capability for billion‑pound programmes.
Further information on Workforce Foresighting can be found here.
