The UK Engineering workforce remains buoyant….
Across the year to September 2024, there were an average of 664k Engineering Professionals and 195k Engineering Associate Professionals (Technicians) in key engineering skills related to the Automotive, Aerospace and Maritime sectors. These numbers were up by 9.0% and 1.2%, respectively, on the prior year.
Engineering Professionals
Year to September 2024
YoY
Engineering Technicians
Year to September 2024
YoY
This included healthy increases in the number of Mechanical Engineers, Engineering Project Managers & Project Engineers and Quality Assurance & Regulatory Professionals. There were also YoY rises amongst Associate Professionals in work amongst Engineering and Quality Assurance Technicians.
The UK job market is still heavily influenced by political, economic, and technological changes. For example, after strong growth from Q1 to Q3 in 2024, when more UK employers were planning to hire than cut jobs, the trend flipped in late Q4 and early 2025. On a positive note, confidence started to bounce back in February's forecasts and reached a balanced outlook in predictions for March 2025.
Net balance of UK employers planning to increase versus decrease employee numbers
Source: Matchtech analysis of ONS data
Even with lower demand recently, which usually makes people more hesitant to change jobs, many workers decided to move in Q4 with voluntary resignations jumping to their highest level in 2024, after dropping for three straight quarters.
Key takeaways and recommendations:
The UK engineering workforce is holding strong, and more candidates are feeling confident enough to make career moves.
Over the year to September 2024, the number of Engineering Professionals grew by 9.0% to 664k, while Engineering Technicians saw a 1.2% increase to 195k. Roles like Mechanical Engineers, Engineering Project Managers & Project Engineers, and Quality Assurance & Regulatory Professionals all saw solid growth.
Even though hiring slowed at the end of 2024, something interesting happened—more people left their jobs voluntarily than at any other point that year. After three straight quarters of people staying put, confidence bounced back, and professionals decided to make their move.
Demand for key engineering skills in the Automotive, Aerospace, and Maritime sectors remains strong, with a 9% YoY increase in professionals.
Despite concerns over rising employment costs, candidate confidence grew in Q4, reflected in higher job-fill rates at Matchtech.
Employers are also exploring how to leverage advanced technologies like AI to boost productivity. However, nearly half (48%) of the global workforce will need upskilling or redeployment to maximise tech advancements, requiring collaboration across the supply chain.
Recommendations:
- If you find great talent, don’t hesitate! Engineers are feeling bolder about switching jobs, so a slow hiring process could mean losing out.
- Retention matters more than ever. With more people willing to leave, it's important to keep existing employees engaged—whether that’s skills development, better benefits, or more flexibility.
- Stay ahead of the curve. The job market is still shifting with economic and political changes. Keeping an eye on trends will help you plan your workforce strategy better.
Recommendations:
To attract talent, target passive candidates and emphasise compelling employer branding and growth opportunities. Since nearly half of the workforce will need upskilling or redeployment by 2030, work closely with L&D teams to develop training programs that align with technological advancements, and highlight these opportunities in your recruitment messaging to attract talent looking for growth and development.
As the UK’s engineering industry faces one of its most significant talent shortages in decades, the LEAP Programme provides a fresh, forward-thinking solution to closing the skills gap. Read more here
Volume and reasons for job-to-job moves across the UK workforce
Matchtech: vacancy fill rate
Our data shows that more candidates felt confident enough to change jobs in Q4, with vacancy fill rates steadily increasing each month.
The dip in hiring confidence around the Budget (when new laws were announced that will raise employment costs for many companies) is no coincidence, but it’s also clear that hiring decisions are being shaped by the growing role of technology in the workplace.
Oct-24 61.0%
Nove-24 65.1%
Dec-24 74.9%
Matchtech: vacancy fill rate
Source: Matchtech data