Applications for engineering jobs tumble as employers struggle to source talent

Engineering job application numbers have seen a sharp decline, with firms struggling to recruit in an ever-growing skills short environment. That is according to new research from the Association of Professional Staffing Companies (APSCo), the trade association for the professional recruitment sector.  

The data, provided by the world’s largest network of job boards, Broadbean Technology, shows that application numbers fell 36% month-on-month in July, marking the largest drop seen in the past two years, as firms continue to struggle to fill roles with the available resources on the market. While APSCo’s research also shows that vacancies dropped in July, the fact that advertised roles for 2023 so far are already up on 2022 suggests that this reduction is indicative of challenges employers are facing filling current demand.

With the Government announcing a£20 billion investment in the early deployment of carbon capture, utilisation and storage (CCUS) for a project in Scotland, as well as several infrastructure projects on the cards, including the East West Rail development between Oxford and Cambridge, the skills shortages could be further exacerbated over the coming weeks and months.

Ann Swain, Global CEO, APSCo, commented: “We’re seeing peaks and troughs in engineering recruitment that are perhaps to be expected given the economic climate. While there was a significant monthly fall in vacancies in July, particularly when compared to May and June levels, demand for talent is still strong. The fact that the number of job vacancies for 2023 are, so far up 5% on last year’s figures indicates tough competition for engineering talent. Consequently, July’s fall could be a sign of employers’ reticence to publish new vacancies when they are already struggling to fill the ones they have. This is backed up by the fall in application numbers which is particularly concerning. With July seeing a significant decline in both the overall levels of job applications and the APV rate, it’s evident that the talent crisis is far from over.”