Leonardo’s New Medium Helicopter Win Accelerates Yeovil College’s Defence Technical Excellence Ambition

Yeovil College welcomes the announcement that the Government has awarded the New Medium Helicopter (NMH) contract to Leonardo in Yeovil, marking a significant moment for the town, the South West region, and the future of the UK’s defence capability.

This milestone reinforces Yeovil’s position as the home of high‑value defence manufacturing, strengthening the local supply chain and safeguarding advanced engineering employment. Crucially, it also creates powerful opportunities to inspire and develop the next generation of technical talent.

The awarding of the contract aligns directly with Yeovil College’s strategic ambition to achieve Defence Technical Excellence College status – a national designation that would cement the College as a leading provider of specialist engineering and defence‑related training.

Continued investment in programmes of this scale supports the College’s commitment to delivering cutting‑edge skills provision for the defence sector, expanding opportunities for young people and adult learners, and driving advanced technical training across the South West.

Yeovil College will continue to work closely with Leonardo and wider industry partners to ensure the region remains at the forefront of engineering innovation, capability and workforce development.

The future of British defence engineering is being built in Yeovil, and Yeovil College is proud to be shaping the talent behind it.