With growing investment in sovereign capability, resilient communications, and next-generation connectivity—including Non-Terrestrial Networks (NTN) and advanced Satcom—the UK’s ambition is clear. However, ambition alone does not deliver capability. The real question is whether the nation’s engineering talent base is keeping pace with the scale and complexity of these aspirations. Across industry, there is increasing concern that the UK is not producing sufficient expertise in critical domains such as radio frequency (RF) and microwave engineering, FPGA development, and digital signal processing (DSP)—skills that underpin modern satellite and defence systems.
Evidence suggests this gap is both structural and persistent. According to EngineeringUK, the UK requires approximately 173,000 new engineers and technicians annually, yet demand continues to outstrip supply. Meanwhile, the Royal Academy of Engineering highlights a deeper issue: even where graduates exist, many lack the applied, industry-ready capabilities needed in high-frequency electronics, embedded systems, and advanced communications. In sectors such as space, Satellite and defence—where performance, reliability, and regulatory compliance are non-negotiable—this mismatch between academic output and industrial need is becoming increasingly critical.
This challenge is amplified by the UK’s strategic ambitions. The UK Space Agency has set a target for the UK to capture 10% of the global space market by 2030. Yet, without a robust and scalable talent pipeline, there is a real risk that capability will lag behind ambition. The issue is not simply one of numbers, but of relevance: graduates often enter the workforce without sufficient exposure to real-world system design, RF testing environments, or hardware–software co-design practices that are essential for delivering complex satellite systems.
The global context further intensifies this challenge. The anticipated success of Artemis II missions—a critical step in returning humans to the Moon under the NASA Artemis programme—is expected to accelerate international investment and competition in the space domain. As major spacefaring nations scale their ambitions, demand for highly specialised engineering talent will increase globally. This is likely to deepen the existing skills shortage, creating a more competitive talent landscape and potentially drawing expertise away from markets like the UK, thereby widening the capability gap unless proactive measures are taken.
At the same time, a broader cultural shift is affecting the pipeline. Engineering—particularly in its more demanding and mathematically intensive forms—is increasingly perceived as less attractive compared to careers in finance, software, or other digital sectors. This perception challenge, combined with limited early engagement in applied engineering disciplines, is narrowing the intake into core engineering fields at precisely the moment demand is accelerating.
Policy responses, while present, remain fragmented. Although there are initiatives supporting STEM education, industry continues to highlight the lack of targeted incentives for developing niche, high-value skills in areas such as RF systems, microwave engineering, and advanced signal processing. In parallel, as global competition for talent intensifies, the UK’s immigration framework may need to evolve. International graduates represent a critical opportunity to bridge the skills gap, yet current thresholds for long-term retention—such as salary requirements linked to Indefinite Leave to Remain—may limit the UK’s ability to retain highly skilled early-career engineers.
A further dimension to this debate is the rapid rise of artificial intelligence and automation. AI is increasingly being applied across engineering workflows—from RF design optimisation and signal processing algorithms to automated testing and digital twins. While these tools have the potential to enhance productivity and reduce development cycles, they are unlikely to fully substitute the need for deep domain expertise in complex, safety-critical systems such as those found in space and defence. Instead, they may shift the skills requirement rather than eliminate it, placing even greater emphasis on interdisciplinary engineers who can combine domain knowledge with AI-enabled toolchains.
If the UK is to align its capability with its ambition, a more coordinated approach is required. This includes deeper collaboration between academia and industry, investment in specialised training infrastructure, targeted policy incentives for critical skills, and a pragmatic strategy for attracting and retaining global talent. Without such measures, there is a growing risk that the UK’s space and defence ambitions will be constrained not by vision or investment, but by the availability of the engineering expertise needed to deliver them.
As the sector continues to expand, the challenge is no longer whether ambition exists—but whether capability can keep pace.
Is the UK doing enough to ensure that its engineering talent base can truly deliver on its space and advanced communications ambitions—and could artificial intelligence meaningfully bridge this growing skills gap, or simply redefine it?
By Harvinder S Nagi MBA, MEng (Hons), CEng, MIET, SMIEEE
Vice Chair: IET – Satellite technology Network
References
• EngineeringUK (2023) Engineering UK 2023: The State of Engineering. London: EngineeringUK.
• Royal Academy of Engineering (2022) Engineering Skills for the Future: The 2022 Update. London: Royal Academy of Engineering.
• UK Space Agency (2021) National Space Strategy. London: HM Government.
• NASA (2023) Artemis Programme Overview. Washington, DC: NASA.