Engineering job applicants down by a third in June as skills shortage intensifies

The number of people applying for engineering jobs fell 31% in June as skills shortages intensified, according to the latest data from the world’s largest network of job boards, Broadbean Technology.



The firm’s data shows that demand for engineering experts has continued to increase, with the number of new jobs up 3% month-on-month in June, making the sector the UK’s most active for recruitment last month, accounting for 11% of all jobs. Despite this, the number of applications fell by almost a third during the same period.



Year-on-year figures paint a similar picture, with the number of people applying for engineering jobs down 28% between June 2022 and 2023. Vacancies, meanwhile, have increased 11% in the same timeframe.



As Alex Fourlis, Managing Director at Broadbean Technology explained, the skills crisis in engineering is at a critical point:



“The UK simply doesn’t have enough of the highly trained and highly skilled engineering professionals it needs to fill the demand. It’s imperative that employers stay focused on the skills agenda and continue to invest in talent attraction and development if they are to grow their competitive standing. The lack of candidates isn’t going to be solved overnight and is already a big issue for firms. Those that can get in front of the right people quickly, and via the right channels, will be the ones in a prime position to win the war for talent.”



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