Question
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, with reference to Defence’s response to a more contested and volatile world, published on 18 July 2023, CP 901, what assessment his Department has made of the number of personnel who will follow a zig-zag career path in the Armed Forces.
Answer
The Ministry of Defence acknowledges the shifting dynamics of career paths and the significance of adaptability in the management of our personnel. While we have made no formal assessment of the numbers of personnel who will follow a "zig-zag" career path, in designing our Pan Defence Skills Framework, MOD officials have extensively reviewed several external studies concerning future career trajectories. These studies underscore the transition from traditional linear careers to multifaceted, boundary-spanning career paths and highlight the practical application of flexible career trajectories.