The Space Sector Skills Survey 2026

The UK Space Agency is inviting all UK space employers to participate in the third Space Sector Skills Survey. This is your opportunity to share your experiences, insights and any workforce skills challenges you might be facing. The data will be used to shape Government policy across the space sector and the wider education and skills landscape.

Findings from the 2020 and 2023 surveys provided critical insights which were used to:

• Directly inform the National Space Strategy, and more recently the UK Space Strategy 2026.
• Evidence and secure the UK Space Agency Education and Future Workforce programme, and support the actions set out in the 2026 UK Space Strategy.
• Target priority skills such as software and data engineering in UK Space Agency interventions like the highly successful space internships programme, and a training programme that upskilled over 5000 delegates.
• Inform the activities of wider educators and delivery organisations who improve the skills of the sector’s workforce.
• Shape wider government skills policies.
• Enable and support cross sector understanding of workforce problems, their causes, and discussions about solutions.

The last Space Sector Skills Survey was carried out in 2023 and results from this survey can be viewed on the GOV.UK website: Space Sector Skills Survey, 2023

The 2026 survey adds to existing insights, but has also expanded to provide wider questions on the impacts of Government policies and recruiting international talent, while also providing more open questions to gain individual views. The survey also has tailored questions for both academic and commercial space organisations in England, Scotland, Wales, and Northern Ireland.

Baroness Lloyd is the Minister for Space, Cyber and Regulatory Reform. She says that

"Space has never been more critical to the UK economy, and we have set out our intentions and priorities for the sector, backed by £7.8b of investment, in the recently published UK Space Strategy. However, I recognise that all space ambition, activity, and success is underpinned by its workforce and having the right people with the right skills.

The improved and expanded 2026 Space Sector Skills Survey is a critical opportunity for you to help us to identify space workforce issues and their causes. The data and insights that will be published will shape policies and help inform both government led and sector led activity.

I strongly urge all UK space sector organisations to complete the survey, share your valuable insights, and help us to support the space sector of the future."

Taking part

UK space sector organisations will be able to take part from the 14th October through an online survey link shared by IFF Research on behalf of UK Space Agency.

The quality of the survey result being used to address industry challenges is dependent on the willingness of space organisations to take part. Employers can choose a time that suits them to complete the online survey, which should take no more than 15 minutes to complete.

A privacy notice outlining how your data is processed, stored, and used can be found here.

If you have any questions or need to contact us about the survey, please email us at: spaceskillssurvey@iffresearch.com