The manufacturing engineering sector in the UK faces significant recruitment challenges. From talent shortages to the rapidly evolving skill sets required in today’s high-tech landscape, many companies find themselves struggling to fill critical engineering roles. In this blog, we’ll take a closer look at some of the hardest jobs to hire for in manufacturing engineering and explore strategies for tackling these challenges.
Key Roles That Are Hard to Fill
Certain engineering roles have become particularly difficult to hire for in the current market. Here are the most common positions that businesses in the manufacturing sector are having trouble filling:
- Senior Engineers: With their high level of expertise and years of experience, senior engineers are in high demand. But due to a shortage of experienced professionals, many companies are struggling to find suitable candidates.
- Niche Specialisms (e.g., robotics, automation, aerospace): With the rise of automation and smart manufacturing, the demand for engineers with expertise in robotics, automation systems, and advanced aerospace technologies is higher than ever. However, the talent pool for these highly specialized skills is limited.
- Engineering Managers: Engineering managers are tasked with overseeing teams of engineers, driving technical projects, and ensuring productivity. Given their leadership role, these positions often require candidates with both technical expertise and strong leadership skills. This combination makes it difficult to find the right fit.
Here’s a list of typical roles we come across –
- CNC Machinists / CNC Programmers
- Why: Decline in apprenticeships over the past decade, aging workforce, and not enough younger workers entering the trade.
- Toolmakers & Precision Engineers
- Why: A dying art in the UK—many experienced professionals retiring with few replacements.
- Maintenance Engineers (especially multi-skilled electrical/mechanical)
- Why: Massive demand across all manufacturing sectors and not enough skilled tradespeople. Often poached across industries.
- Quality Engineers / Inspectors
- Why: High standards for aerospace/defence/automotive need deep expertise—often not developed quickly enough in-house.
- Controls & Automation Engineers
- Why: The rise of smart factories and Industry 4.0 tech outpacing the supply of engineers who understand PLCs, robotics, and sensors.
- Welders (TIG/MIG & coded)
- Why: Critical for defence and energy sectors, but lack of training, low profile, and aging workers mean constant gaps.
- Electrical Design Engineers
- Why: Demand is rising with electrification (EVs, energy systems), but the talent pool is too small.
- Manufacturing Engineers (Lean/Process/CI)
- Why: So much emphasis on efficiency, but not enough engineers trained in Six Sigma, Kaizen, etc.
- Production Planners & Schedulers
- Why: Overlooked role—essential for efficient output but not seen as a “career path” by many. Also, systems like ERP are underutilised.
- NDT Technicians (Non-Destructive Testing)
- Why: Crucial in aerospace and defence. Certification is niche and takes time, so the pipeline is slow.
- Composite Technicians / Engineers
- Why: Lightweight materials are the future (especially in aerospace/EVs), but technical skill in composites is rare.
- Project Engineers / Programme Managers
- Why: Many companies struggle to find people who can manage technical complexity, supply chains, and stakeholders.
Lastly – Sales/BDM/Technical Sales Engineers –
- Crucial past of a growing manufacturing business – that require a person at the helm of future growth. This is a lost and dying art, as the need increases the problem internal gets harder to solve – thus putting pressure on the sales person to perform.
Why These Jobs Are Hard to Fill
Several factors contribute to the difficulty in hiring for these roles:
- Skills Gaps: As technology evolves, the skills needed in manufacturing engineering are rapidly changing. Many engineering professionals find themselves playing catch-up with new technologies like automation, AI, and advanced materials.
- Aging Workforce: Many senior engineers are nearing retirement, and there simply aren’t enough younger professionals entering the field to replace them. This has led to an even greater demand for experienced workers.
- Competition for Talent: With the continued growth of high-tech sectors (e.g., aerospace, automotive, defence), engineering talent is in high demand. Companies are competing for a smaller pool of qualified candidates, which drives up salaries and makes recruitment even more challenging.
What Companies Can Do About It
I’ll be frank – you can spend the time and energy trying to find these people via Indeed adverts and posts on your website – and the odd LinkedIn search.
If your company is struggling to fill these critical roles, and getting nowhere with the above – you may need to come to a realisation your endeavours are coming to an end – here are some strategies to consider:
- Invest in training and development: Develop training programs that help your employees learn new skills and technologies, enabling them to fill more specialized roles in the future.
- Offer competitive salaries and benefits: The best talent will always be drawn to companies that offer attractive pay packages and benefits. Be sure to benchmark your salary offerings against industry standards.
- Broaden your search criteria: If you’re unable to find the perfect fit, consider hiring individuals with transferable skills or offering training to fill the gaps.
- Build a talent pipeline: Focus on proactive recruitment by building relationships with universities and industry groups to attract younger talent into the field.
AND failing all that – call me, and lets keep a search moving in the background, or an active headhunt to solve your problem.
Conclusion
Hiring for senior, niche, and leadership engineering roles can feel like an uphill battle, but it’s not impossible. By expanding your search criteria, investing in training programs, and creating a strong talent pipeline, you can fill even the most challenging roles and set your business up for future success.
The biggest realisation though, is time, because these roles are harder to fill and build up a work force – the more it will cost you in the long run if they are not filled.
Who am I?
I’m Mark Hopkins—engineer at heart, recruiter by trade, and the face behind Thomas Lee Recruitment. I’ve spent 20 years helping engineers and technical sales professionals find careers they’re proud of.
I don’t just post jobs—I build relationships, create content that adds value, and work with companies who genuinely want to grow their teams the right way.
Whether I’m filming a video about how a jet engine works or advising a client on how to plan for future skills gaps, my mission stays the same:
Make recruitment better. Make it human. Make it work.