THE UK space industry has launched a recruitment drive to showcase the career opportunities within the space sector.
SpaceCareers.uk has received support from the UK Space Agency’s Space for All fund to spearhead an initiative named “UK Space 101”, focused on showcasing the accessibility of space jobs to school students.
The initiative also aims to highlight the need for a diverse range of skills from people currently working outside of the space sector.
The size and health of the UK space industry reports that there is currently a workforce of more than 50,000 supporting around 1,800 space companies active across the United Kingdom, representing an £18.9bn contribution to the economy.
With a national space strategy in place since 2021 and a strong desire from across the country to capitalize on the fast-growing global space economy, non-profit SpaceCareers.uk is positioning itself as a gateway into the industry.
SpaceCareers.uk director Joanne Oliver stated: “SpaceCareers.uk was established to address the industry’s skills shortages by attracting a diverse range of people into the sector, from engineers and scientists to lawyers and sales specialists.
“The UK Space 101 project has been developed in collaboration with key stakeholders across the sector to address current outreach challenges and is something that will act as a tool for teachers, parents, and jobseekers to learn more about the industry, and the role of space in our everyday lives.
“Our message is simple – no matter your background and interests, there’s a place for you in the UK space sector.”
The UK Space 101 initiative consists of a suite of interactive digital resources, including a webpage and downloadable poster that explains the growing role of the space sector in everyday life.
The resource also aims to be useful for space professionals as part of their educational outreach activities, to help signpost interested individuals towards a starting point to learn more about the space sector.
Ingmar Kamalagharan, head of education and future workforce at the UK Space Agency said: “Our Space for All fund is backing projects like UK Space 101 to make the space sector even more accessible to young people across the UK.
“By showcasing the wide variety of space career opportunities available with SpaceCareers.uk, we want to support and inform anyone interested in pursuing a space career.
“This is a fast-growing and vibrant industry, from advancing our knowledge of the universe to providing critical services for life on Earth, and it needs a strong and diverse pipeline of future talent.
“I would urge anyone interested in a space career to check out the resources on SpaceCareers.uk.”
