Engineering Recruitment ‘Won’t Suffer’ Due To Election

The announcement of a general election in June of this year has made many people worry about the state of the economy, and the knock-on effect further instability could have for the jobs market.

But engineering recruiters have stated that they don’t believe the election will impact the engineering sector in the short term.

In fact, Mike Morgan, director at Hays Engineering, told the Professional Engineering magazine that firms are likely to struggle to find suitable applicants for the jobs they’re advertising.

“UK employers are confident despite uncertainty and are still planning to recruit this year,” he asserted.

Mr Morgan added: “Engineers are always in high demand and head count has fluctuated as usual, with acute skills shortages set to continue.”

This could present opportunities for anyone who already works in the sector who is looking to build on their existing experience and upskill. Taking engineering mathematics courses is just one option for those who want to broaden their skillset.

Earlier this year, chancellor Philip Hammond announced a radical overhaul for technical training for post-16s, in a bid to help combat the skills shortage that the UK is facing in areas like engineering and construction.

Under the new proposals, teaching hours will increase dramatically for technical courses, while the thousands of current qualifications will be condensed into 15 so-called T-levels (the technical equivalent of A-levels).

Following the Brexit vote this year, engineering recruiters noted there is more uncertainty in the sector among both employees and employers. The number of engineers moving jobs has fallen in recent months, with Hays suggesting this is because firms are making more counter-offers to keep their professionals.