Manufacturing is hiring under real pressure, with roles sitting open far longer than firms would like. In 2025 there were 55,000 unfilled long-term vacancies in UK manufacturing, costing the economy £6bn in lost output every year Make UK – Industrial Strategy Skills Commission Report 2025. That gap is not just a headcount problem. It is a brake on the output and growth the sector is capable of.
At the same time, the opportunity from automation is large. The UK ranks just 24th in global robotics density, and targeted innovation and digital investment could add £150 billion to the UK's GDP by 2035 Making it Smarter: Global Lessons for Accelerating Automation and Digital Adoption in UK Manufacturing - Make UK. The starting point is low: the UK used only 101 robots per 10,000 workers in 2020, substantially behind international peers Smart Machines Strategy 2035 - GOV.UK. So as investment rises, hiring has to follow.
The clearest signal is that the mix of skills is changing, not just the number of jobs. Six in ten (59%) manufacturers cite automation and half (50%) cite wider digitalisation as the trends changing jobs and skills needs, and 74% expect demand for cognitive and meta-cognitive skills to increase by 2030 Make UK – 2030 Skills: Closing the Gap. In plain terms, that means problem-solving, data literacy and the ability to work alongside machines, not just operate them.
But the skills to fill these roles are hard to find. Over 50% of manufacturers cite skills shortages as the main barrier to AI adoption, and only 2% say AI is widely embedded across their operations The Manufacturer / Make UK – AI, Skills and the Future of UK Manufacturing. The roles are emerging faster than the talent, which is why how you hire matters as much as who you hire.
Start by hiring for capability, not just the current tool set. With cognitive and meta-cognitive skills in rising demand by 2030 Make UK – 2030 Skills: Closing the Gap, assess how someone learns and solves problems, because the specific software will keep changing. Write job descriptions around outcomes and the technology on your floor, so applicants self-select accurately.
Then pair hiring with upskilling. Some 40% of manufacturers are looking to upskill their existing workforce, specifically for redeployment as a result of automation and digitalisation, with that figure higher among firms with more than 1,000 employees Make UK Executive Survey 2026. Blend external hires with internal development, and move quickly, because the open vacancies cost output every week they stay empty Make UK – Industrial Strategy Skills Commission Report 2025.
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