The Government and defence industry have agreed plans intended to provide 50,000 employment, apprenticeship, training and work-experience opportunities for young people every year by 2035.
The Ministry of Defence described the agreement as its biggest-ever partnership with industry focused on expanding opportunities for young people across the UK.
Under the plans, the sector is expected to provide 40,000 opportunities annually by 2030, rising to 50,000 a year by 2035.
Apprenticeships, jobs and work experience
The agreement covers a range of routes into the defence sector, including apprenticeships, employment, training and work-experience placements.
Plans also include a system intended to direct unsuccessful applicants towards other suitable vacancies within the defence sector.
The Government says the programme will help develop the skilled workforce needed by Britain's defence sector while providing more routes into employment for young people.
£182m defence skills package
The agreement follows a previously announced £182 million defence skills package designed to address skills shortages and expand training opportunities.
It also comes alongside the Government's Defence Investment Plan, under which ministers say £298 billion of planned investment is expected to support the creation of more than 60,000 new roles across the UK.
The 60,000 figure is a Government projection associated with the investment plan rather than a count of jobs already created.
Government highlights youth employment challenge
Defence Secretary Wes Streeting linked the announcement to the wider challenge of young people who are outside employment or education.
The Government says around one million young people are currently out of work or education and argues that defence-sector employers can provide more routes into skilled careers.
The agreement forms part of a wider Government effort to connect increased defence expenditure with employment, apprenticeships, manufacturing and skills development within the UK.
Targets rise to 50,000 opportunities a year
The headline figure represents the number of opportunities the Government and industry intend to make available annually rather than 50,000 permanent jobs.
The target is for 40,000 opportunities each year by 2030 and 50,000 each year by 2035, covering employment as well as apprenticeships, training and work experience.