University receives £3m boost for defence training

The University of Sheffield will receive £3m to help students get key jobs in the defence sector.

The money will help the university offer extra student places, build new teaching facilities and improve courses for subjects vital to national security such as engineering and computing.

It is one of 24 universities which will share £80m to equip thousands of young people with the skills they need for a career in defence.

The grants will help provide a "future workforce and give more young people the chance to secure well-paid careers," the government said.

Prof Conchúr Ó Brádaigh, head of the university's faculty of engineering, said: "Defence is a very important sector for the university, South Yorkshire and the UK and we're really pleased this funding will enable us to create 150 new graduate places for students wanting to study civil and mechanical engineering and take up very well-paid jobs.

"We have world-leading, state-of-the-art facilities for engineering undergraduates in the Diamond building and we'll be using around £750,000 of the funding to upgrade our laboratory and teaching infrastructure in mechatronics, in advanced surveying and in complex design projects."

The University of Sheffield, which was selected from 112 applicants, will create the student places over the next five years starting from this autumn.

Nationwide there will be 2,500 new places with a focus on cyber security, robotics, autonomous technology, aerospace engineering and advanced manufacturing.

New teaching facilities will be built to support the growth over the next decade.

Minister for Skills Jacqui Smith said: "By expanding access to high-demand courses in the defence sector, we are creating new opportunities for learners across the country while helping employers access the skilled workforce they need.

"The government's comprehensive defence skills package also includes £50m to establish five Defence Technical Excellence Colleges, including Rotherham, training people in the skills needed to secure new defence jobs in this growing industry."

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