In February 2025, the UK government made a bold move as part of its Plan for Change, announcing the approval of more nuclear power stations across Britain.
This is a game-changer – promising thousands of high-skilled jobs, through a cleaner and more affordable future to the UK’s energy, and a major boost to the nation’s energy security. This leads us to one crucial question: Can the UK supply the skilled talent needed to fill these roles and drive this ambitious vision forward?
The stakes are high, and the clock is ticking. The demand for skilled workers could seriously slow down the progress of the nuclear sector and other key industries. Can the UK’s workforce rise to meet the demand?
The Challenges Ahead
The road to growth isn’t without its obstacles. Employers in industries like engineering, manufacturing, nuclear, and defence face significant hurdles, including:
Skills Shortages: A recent report from The Manufacturer reveals that 97% of UK manufacturers struggle to hire and retain skilled talent. The Nuclear Skills Delivery Group warns that the sector will need 40,000 new jobs over the next 5 years and 180,000 more by 2050 to meet net-zero targets. But with sectors competing for a limited pool of talent and an ageing workforce, where will the next generation of skilled workers come from?
Recruitment and Retention: Despite producing a high number of STEM graduates, many are not pursuing careers in engineering, manufacturing, nuclear, or defence. With fierce competition for top talent, companies are under pressure to attract the best candidates, particularly as the labour market tightens. The recent £763 million government investment aims to address the workforce gap, but companies need to act fast to secure the right people.
Security Clearances: Many roles in these industries require government security clearance, a lengthy and complex process that can delay the hiring of critical staff. These delays can stall projects and hinder productivity in an already tight labour market. But there’s a solution.
What does Employment Solutions offer?
At Employment Solutions, we specialise in delivering top-tier talent to the engineering, manufacturing, nuclear, and defence sectors. With over 20 years of industry experience, we offer a dedicated collaborative approach to bring you a network of highly-skilled professionals who can make an immediate impact on your business.
We tackle the skills shortage head-on by:
Listening closely to your needs
Leveraging our extensive network to secure top talent quickly
Ensuring that the candidates we place are the right fit both culturally and technically for your specific challenges
We specialise in more than just recruitment. With a proven track record, we efficiently expedite security clearances for roles that require them, reducing delays and minimising costs for our clients through the expertise of ES Steel Solutions, a key part of the broader ES Group.
Don’t Let Talent Shortages Hold You Back
With the demand for skilled workers growing rapidly, now is the time to act. Don’t let your projects fall behind because of a talent shortage. Reach out to us today, and let’s discuss how we can help you secure the right people to power your growth.
Ready to tackle the talent gap? Get in touch now!
Email us at info@emp-sol.com, call +44 (0)161 839 5353, or fill in the contact form here.
Time is running out –let’s build the future together.