A new EU-commissioned study has found that 58% of surveyed respondents view a career in the defence industry as attractive, but only 6% of job-seekers plan to actively pursue one.
The research was published by the European Commission’s Directorate-General for Defence Industry and Space (DG DEFIS) and was carried out by a consortium of Novaspace, RAND Europe and Verian, the Commission revealed on Thursday.
More than 2,600 students and young professionals, plus over 700 current or former defence employees, took part through two surveys and three workshops.
Attitudes were “mixed but generally positive”, with many participants saying they wanted to contribute to Europe’s peace, security and technological progress.
Awareness of the sector appeared to be a dividing line: 79% of those familiar with defence work said it was attractive and 64% said they would consider a career in it, compared with 46% and 28% among those less familiar.
Ethics, knowledge gaps and working culture
Participants reported concerns including limited knowledge of available roles, ethical considerations, and negative perceptions around hierarchical structures and work-life balance, the Commission reported.
At the same time, respondents pointed to career development opportunities, “intellectual stimulation”, and competitive pay as reasons the sector appealed to them.
The study recorded calls for better outreach, clearer career paths, and more flexible and transparent workplaces.
Skills in the defence sector are also flagged as a priority in the European Defence – Readiness 2030 White Paper, which sets out a path for Europe to reach defence readiness by 2030.
