In a February 2025 survey of people aged 15-24, “ethical concerns about working in defence” was identified amongst the top “barriers to STEM employment in the defence industry”.
The survey was conducted by Year 13 and With You With Me for Forge Your Future, a program promoting defence industry careers. Forge Your Future has been funded by the Department of Defence through the Schools Pathways Program.
Forge Your Future uses “AI-driven and behavioural science-based tools” to give young people “deep insight into their natural strengths” and connect them to careers in the defence industry.
In a media release accompanying the survey results, Forge Your Future did not address the 40% of respondents who identified ethical issues as a primary barrier to working in the industry.
These findings reflect global and growing repudiation of the weapons industry, and reinforce our core argument that programs like Forge Your Future are a form of targeted marketing by a noxious industry.