Skilled candidates in demand

The October 2011 CBI report highlighted that manufacturing employee numbers are at their highest in over a year, a rise of over 20% since January, which combined with the limited number of skilled employees available in the market currently, has given rise to more opportunities for candidates looking to progress their careers. Find out more from Michael Page Engineering & Manufacturing.

Businesses have been looking to fill permanent, temporary and interim jobs, at all levels, with candidates able to demonstrate a strong track record. Competition for candidates has also led to a shift towards organisations looking to up-skill their existing management and technical experts, in order to increase their competitive edge. "We are currently seeing a strong demand for engineering managers, process engineering managers and candidates with expertise in Lean or continuous improvement", according to Andrew Pownall, operating director for Michael Page Engineering & Manufacturing in the South East. Andrew believes this is indicative of organisations preparing to invest in process improvement as well as taking cost out of their businesses.

"Increasingly we are seeing a candidate driven market due to a shortage of experienced technical and managerial candidates across all functions, from quality and HSE to design and new product development. Competition for talent is fierce and more than ever, organisations want the best person for their business and are prepared to invest to get them” says Peter Smith, operating director for Michael Page Engineering & Manufacturing in the North West, Midlands and South West.

If you’re an organisation looking to attract the best talent or a candidate wanting to progress your career, get in touch with Michael Page Engineering & Manufacturing. 2011 marks our 10th year of providing world-class recruitment services to the European engineering and manufacturing community. In the UK, we have 16 offices across the country so we’ve got the local market covered too.