EngUK report highlights growth in green skills demand

Engineering skills needs – now and into the future was produced for EngineeringUK by labour analytics specialist Lightcast. According to its findings, there were approximately 6.1 million engineering jobs - including tech roles - across all industries in 2021, representing around 19 per cent of all jobs in the UK. However, the report also found that over the past year recruitment activity for engineering roles accounted for 25 per cent of all job postings in the UK, suggesting a greater skills shortage than in other areas.

From 2021 to 2022, engineering job advertisements mentioning a ‘green skill’ rose by 48 per cent, making up a total of 212,000 listings. According to EngineeringUK, this demand for ‘green skills’ can be seen right across the economy, from traditional civil, mechanical and electrical engineering to more tech-focused roles in software and ICT.

“Given the soaring demand for engineers across all sectors, it’s essential that the UK has a robust plan and funding in place to train the future workforce, bringing more young people from all backgrounds into engineering and technology, alongside reskilling the current workforce,” said Dr Hilary Leevers, chief executive of EngineeringUK.

“With the growth in green skills, and the central role engineers and technicians play in transitioning to a green economy and addressing climate change, ensuring that the sector has the skilled workforce needed to thrive is more urgent than ever.”

The heightened demand for engineers and particularly those with green skills is also illustrated by the salaries on offer across the range of job listings. The report found the average advertised salary in engineering was £38,600, almost 30 per cent higher than the average salary for all occupations (£30,000).

The full report ‘Engineering skills needs – now and into the future’ is available to download at: www.engineeringuk.com/futureskills