The Government’s Strategic Defence Review 2025 makes one message unmistakably clear: cadets are now a flagship national priority for the United Kingdom.
The Cadets and X Forces at The London Stock Exchange in London, UK.
Photograph by Ben Stevens
Tuesday 2nd of July 2019
For the first time, we see an unequivocal commitment to grow both in-school and community cadet forces by 30% by 2030, that means over 40,000 additional cadets in the near term, with a long-range ambition to reach a quarter of a million young people.
This expansion is backed by fresh investment and forms a core pillar of the UK’s mission to reconnect Defence with society, widen participation, and break down barriers for young people from every background.
Why Cadets matter more than ever
Cadet forces are one of this country’s most powerful engines of confidence, resilience, leadership, and social mobility. They change the trajectory of young people’s lives, especially those growing up in communities where opportunity can feel out of reach. But if we want the cadet experience to become an even stronger bridge to the future, then enterprise must be part of that journey.
Where Enterprise meets National Policy
At X-Forces Enterprise, we recognised this early on. Back in 2018, we launched Cadets in Enterprise, a pioneering programme that transforms the Government’s policy ambition into tangible economic opportunity. Using the simple but effective framework of a small business, we introduce cadets to practical, hands-on learning:
– Teamwork and discipline
– Enterprise thinking
– Financial confidence
– Problem-solving and innovation
We show young people how to identify challenges, design solutions, pitch ideas and, crucially, understand how ventures, big or small, create value in their communities. The results since 2018 speak for themselves: confidence grows, creativity flourishes, and young people begin to imagine entirely new futures for themselves.
Why business is not a ‘nice to have’ but an essential
Government can grow the cadet forces, but it cannot, on its own, provide the real-world commercial insight, mentorship, or live business challenges required to deliver enterprise education at scale and at quality. This is where UK employers excel, and it is where your involvement becomes transformational.
For business, Cadets in Enterprise provides:
– A direct early-stage talent pipeline into your sector with young people who already understand leadership, teamwork, and innovation.
– A powerful ESG and social value story, aligned squarely with a landmark Government review and the ’30 by 30’ commitment to youth engagement.
– A visible, values-driven way to support the Armed Forces community, invest in national resilience, and strengthen the future economy.
Our ask: Partner with us to shape the future
If we want to help Government deliver on the Strategic Defence Review, and if we want a future workforce that is diverse, resilient, enterprising, and ready, then we must build this bridge together.
We are inviting forward-thinking employers to partner with us by:
– Providing financial support to grow the programme
– Offering mentors and subject-matter experts
– Joining Dragons’ Den-style judging panels
– Hosting visits and workplace immersions
– Opening doors for the most promising young people
This is more than a programme. It is an investment in national capability, youth opportunity, and the future of British enterprise. If we get this right, we don’t just expand cadet numbers, we expand horizons, social mobility, and the economic potential of an entire generation.
I hope you will stand with us. The future is waiting, and together we can shape it.
