Employers from across the UK have taken part in an engagement day at the Defence Academy, shining light on the benefits of industry-defence partnerships.
Representatives from over 100 companies that included large and small to medium enterprises, entrepreneurs, and public services attended this inaugural event, to explore the recent Strategic Defence Review. Of particular focus was national resilience, the Reserves in the workplace and the benefits to employers of Reserve professional military education (PME) and how it can translate into workplace benefits.
Hosted by the Advanced Command and Staff Course (Reserves) (ACSC(R)), last month’s event was opened by Colonel Deborah Taylor, Course Director ACSC(R), before Brigadier Chris Palmer OBE, Head of Reserves, Ministry of Defence, delivered the keynote speech. He offered a strategic overview of the UK Reserve Force’s role and the importance of employer support in enabling defence capability, leadership development, and industry collaboration. Furthermore, he underscored the Armed Forces Covenant and Employer Recognition Scheme, that to date more than 13,500 businesses from across the UK have signed.
This was followed by a panel discussion led by Neil Jackson, Director, Defence Relationship Management who was joined by Brigadier Palmer and subject matter experts from across the sector:
- Ren Kapur MBE, CEO of X-Forces Enterprise
- Lieutenant Colonel (Retd) Murray McLeod-Jones MBE, BAE Systems
- Group Captain Tom Walker, Director of the Defence Academy’s Higher Command and Staff Course
Set-piece questions were examined before a Q&A session with delegates, who were able to learn more about the integration of reservists into the civilian workforce, including insight into:
- the employment of Reserves
- veteran transition
- leadership development and ethical decision-making
- strategic leadership
- mobilisation
- business continuity
Expanding on the themes, Ren said:
“The Employer Engagement event at the Defence Academy showed that real resilience starts with small businesses. If we want a defence -ready nation, we must build it with them, not expect them to deliver in the same way as large-scale employers. SMEs are central to national security, and only by working together can we create a defence ecosystem that is agile, inclusive, and fit for the future. It is not only our pleasure to work with defence on this important agenda, it is all our responsibility to lean into the national resilience of our country.”
This was followed by an afternoon roundtable discussion that offered opportunity to explore the key themes in further depth and encourage networking.
The day concluded with a visit to the Defence College for Military Capability Integration, where Squadron Leader Stuart Amis (RAF Reserves) gave a capability presentation exploring current relationships with industry, as well as future opportunities.
Reflecting on the day, Col Taylor said:
“Bringing defence, industry, and the wider employer community together at the Defence Academy is not just about showcasing reservist talent — it is about building meaningful partnerships that sustain our forces, enrich our workplaces, and turn strategic intent into practical collaboration. This event has shown that when we engage with purpose, the benefits flow both ways.”