Recruitment continues to be the biggest challenge in the defense technology industry. Defense and high tech firms have pointed to the War for Talent as one of their biggest challenges since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, and this crisis shows no signs of letting up.

Once companies win a contract, they scramble to rapidly hire qualified workers and prepare the entire organization to meet delivery schedules while trying to accomplish all of this on time and on budget. The nation’s lack of qualified tech workers and stubbornly low unemployment rate make hiring the right talent a challenge.

Regardless of the national unemployment rate, finding qualified software developers, cybersecurity experts, engineers, and high tech manufacturing specialists is challenging, even during the best times. The search for qualified tech talent becomes even more challenging
when you consider how many industry positions require a secret or top-secret clearance.

The defense industry is expected to benefit from record growth as global conflicts increase and militaries rely on defense technology as a mission-critical solution to winning wars. However, despite having the wind at their backs, companies won’t realize potential gains without applying a workforce growth strategy that complements their business development tactics.

• The defense and high tech industry continues to thrive with record-breaking revenue, driven by international conflict, defense department modernization, and high tech weaponry.

• To compete with Big Tech and other industries, defense and high tech firms must modernize recruiting strategies, promote work-life balance, and highlight shared company values.

• Companies that target passive candidates with brand marketing are likely to win the War for Talent, while those who don’t pursue candidates thoughtfully will struggle to attract qualified employees.

Our 2024 Defense Tech Recruitment Outlook reveals the most pressing employment challenges and significant opportunities, drilled down to the local level. We also help locate feeder markets, identify the largest competitors for workers, and demonstrate how marketing the workplace will help your company win the War for Talent and rapidly scale production once contracts are awarded.