Hull College is hosting a conference designed to address the growing demand for skilled workers in the UK space industry. The event on 8 October will bring together leaders from industry, education and the space sector to examine how to build a more diverse and capable workforce for the sector's expansion.
Speakers at the conference, titled The Workforce Beneath the Satellites: Building the UK's Space Workforce Together, will focus on the skills the sector will require over the next five to 10 years. The conference forms part of World Space Week celebrations.
Hull College principal Debra Gray highlighted the breadth of employment opportunities beyond the most visible roles.
When people hear 'space', they still tend to think of astronauts, scientists and rockets. But there is a much bigger workforce beneath that – the people who will build, operate, maintain and support the technology and infrastructure the sector needs.
Gray emphasised the importance of developing talent across all backgrounds to support the sector's ambitions.
There is a huge amount of ambition around the growth of the UK space sector, but ultimately that ambition can only be realised if we have the people with the skills to deliver it.She added that further education institutions have a critical role to play.
Further Education has the scale, reach and technical expertise to make a significant contribution. Talent is everywhere, but opportunity isn't, and we want to make sure people from every background can see that there could be a place for them in this industry.
The scale of the UK space sector
The UK space industry is already substantial. According to the UK Space Agency's 2025–26 annual report, the sector employs 55,000 people directly, with a further 81,000 jobs in its supply chain, and generates £18.9bn in annual income.
Skills gaps in the sector
Despite this growth, the space industry faces significant workforce challenges. A 2023 Space Sector Skills Survey found that 52% of UK space organisations had skills gaps, with 72% of those reporting the gaps were most prominent in software and data skills.
The UK government has begun taking steps to address these shortages. The UK Space Agency's Skills for Space programme offered 50 paid placements running for eight weeks in July and August 2026 for undergraduates and further-education students.
New initiatives and future planning
Hull College itself has expanded its commitment to space sector training. The college announced an ORBIT programme on 23 September 2026, developed alongside its planned conference with Space Hub Yorkshire, to provide additional pathways into the industry.
Looking ahead, the government has committed to monitoring and addressing workforce development needs. The UK Space Strategy indicates the government plans to publish evidence on sector skills gaps through an annual Space Skills Survey and Space Skills Dashboard, providing ongoing insight into where training and recruitment efforts should be focused.
