The Scottish Government confirmed on 15 October 2026 that it would match-fund the UK Government's £10 million commitment to create two Defence Technical Excellence Colleges in Scotland, part of a £50 million Scottish Defence Growth Deal. Scottish Secretary Douglas Alexander welcomed the decision, noting the original commitment was announced in March and had remained conditional on match funding. The colleges are planned for the East and West of Scotland to support the country's defence clusters.

In a press release published on 16 October 2026, Alexander said the colleges would give young people skills for careers in defence engineering, advanced manufacturing and maritime technology. Defence Minister Luke Pollard also welcomed the funding.

The release states Scotland already benefits from over £2.5 billion a year in Ministry of Defence spending, directly supporting 12,200 jobs, and cites industry analysis suggesting demand for up to 50,000 additional defence jobs across the UK by 2034/35.