How to attract and retain top engineering and manufacturing talent

The year 2018 has been declared ‘The Year of Engineering’ by the UK Government, which has launched an initiative to highlight the opportunities in the industry. The campaign is particularly targeted at younger generations, which is hardly surprising given they’ll be needed to help address the skills gap and drive the sector forward in the coming years and decades. As highlighted in our article ‘Bridging the skills gap with the next generation’, there is a real need to change perceptions of the roles in engineering.

Engineering UK has identified that there is an annual demand for at least 124,000 engineers and technicians, which has led to the launch of the #ThisIsEngineering campaign to help support the Government’s plan to promote the industry. The aim of this is to encourage young professionals to explore careers in engineering. 

The EEF has highlighted that manufactured exports are still up due to the increased global demand for materials produced in the UK. The 2017/18 fact card also points out that while the UK is currently the world’s eighth largest manufacturer in the world by output, some 70% of GB adults believe that we should aim to be a top five manufacturing nation. 

These initiatives will undoubtedly increase the awareness among younger individuals who may decide to actively pursue a career in engineering and manufacturing but what can you do as an employer to help this cause? 

Attracting and retaining top talent now

The engineering and manufacturing sectors have been short of skilled talent for some time now and there is currently a shortfall in attracting the next generation. The general sentiment in the market is that we need to drive the number of engineering graduates and apprenticeships up as well as support the focus on inspiring schoolchildren to consider careers in the industry. While this will help with the longer-term issues, we need to establish some mechanisms to deal with current challenges which are not about supply but attraction.  

There are a few steps you can take to ensure that you are an employer of choice. 

Unique selling points 

It is important that businesses competing for talented professionals in a candidate-driven market work hard to truly standout. Make sure you are aware of your unique selling points as an organisation. Why should a candidate choose to work for you over a competitor? This might be your unique position in a particular market, the products or services you offer, the benefits you offer your employees or the overall vision and mission of the organisation. Create a great employee value proposition (EVP) that highlights the essence of your business – how you are unique and what you stand for. 

Opportunities

In order to attract and retain top engineering and manufacturing professionals, it needs to be made clear to those in the job market and within your own company that you recognise their intrinsic value to your business. People want to add value and they want to make a difference in their roles. Engineering and manufacturing careers provide the opportunity for people to do so.  

Engineers and manufacturers are at the forefront of innovation and solving some of the world’s most pressing issues. From improving air quality through reducing the levels of pollution our cars emit, to developing new technology to provide better diagnoses and treatment of both sick people and animals.

Considering the future generations, Engineering UK research on dream careers found that 90% of 9-18-year-olds want a career that tackles social issues – 47% are keen to help animals, 37% have an interest in saving people’s lives and 29% want to tackle homelessness. 

Positive branding

It’s equally important to understand that self-promotion is vital to separate your business from the competition. Your company’s USPs should be clearly communicated, not just throughout the interview process but within the business internally and in every piece of external communication that is broadcast to the wider community.  In addition to the core differences highlighted in your EVP, be sure that the opportunities to make a difference in the world are made clear.

People development

A key factor for many exploring their options in the market is the opportunity for career progression. This doesn’t necessarily mean an imminent promotion; it can be an advancement of skills or an opportunity to experience growth through personal development plans and reviews for team members. By investing in your people, you are investing in the future of your business. By upskilling and offering additional training to your employees you are essentially developing your future leaders. 

Professionals want to feel valued in their roles and secure in the organisation they are working for. It is important to demonstrate a commitment to the careers of your people as it not only highlights that you value your staff and care about their future employability but also suggests you envisage a future leadership team that may very well include them. 

Diversifying engineering and manufacturing

Investing in apprenticeships and encouraging more women into the industry is key. While there has been much done to increase gender equality in manufacturing and to help overcome stereotypes in engineering, there is still more that organisations can do internally to help support female staff.

Apprenticeships are a faster solution to a larger issue. Securing talent early is key for the future sustainability of your business and apprenticeships allow you to train individuals specifically for success in the sector you operate in. The more senior and talented workers in your team have the opportunity to pass on their knowledge through on the job training and at the end of the programme, you will have a fully qualified member of staff more than ready to hit the ground running.

A relatively untapped talent pool in the engineering and manufacturing sector are women. However, it’s important to actively encourage women to join your team. Perhaps you could provide further training for women working in other areas of your business or allow them the opportunity to explore the profession through mentoring. 

The most in-demand skills in engineering and manufacturing are ones which address dwindling margins and are constantly sought after. They are the skills we’re looking for in candidates when recruiting for our clients so being aware of these skills that are set to drive the industry forward this year will be key for success. In a candidate-driven market where key skills are set to be even more in demand, companies need to build their brand as an employer of choice and work hard to attract and retain the best talent around.

Are you looking to hire engineering and manufacturing talent? Or are you simply looking for some further advice on the engineering and manufacturing recruitment market? Get in touch with your local office for a confidential discussion today.