East Midlands Chamber has welcomed the government’s announcement of an £8.4bn investment in the next phase of the UK’s Dreadnought submarine programme, which is expected to create jobs and apprenticeships in Derby, while benefiting wider supply chains.
The government’s figures show the Defence Nuclear Enterprise currently supports around 47,000 UK jobs, forecast to rise to 65,000 by 2030, and to deliver 22,000 apprenticeships by 2035. The Chamber sees this as a timely opportunity for local firms to engage with a major public procurement programme that already touches the East Midlands supply base.
Derby is directly linked to the programme, with Rolls-Royce producing nuclear reactor cores. The government’s published breakdown identifies around 4,000 jobs in Derby connected to the Defence Nuclear Enterprise.
East Midlands Chamber Director of Policy and Insight Richard Blackmore said: “Prioritising defence capability is important and for it to create jobs and apprenticeships in Derby is a win-win, with supply chains across the wider region standing to benefit too, so this is an announcement I welcome.
“The Chamber is always ready to advise businesses on supplier routes, procurement readiness or accessing apprenticeship and skills support.”
