A milestone like Congleton's ten millionth drive is a reminder of how much automation technology Britain already builds. But the country that makes the machines is not always the quickest to use them. 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, according to Make UK's Making it Smarter report.
That gap shows up in the numbers. The Smart Machines Strategy 2035 from GOV.UK cites International Federation of Robotics data showing UK utilisation of industrial robots substantially lags internationally, using only 101 robots per 10,000 workers in 2020. For employers, that means two things happening at once: more automation on the factory floor, and a growing hunt for the people who can install, run and maintain it.
Automation does not remove the need to hire. It changes who you hire for. Six in ten (59%) manufacturers cited automation and half (50%) cited wider digitalisation as trends changing jobs and skills needs, and 74% expect demand for cognitive and meta-cognitive skills to increase by 2030, reports Make UK's 2030 Skills: Closing the Gap.
Many firms are responding by reshaping the teams they already have. 40% of manufacturers are looking to upskill their existing workforce, specifically for redeployment as a result of automation and digitalisation, and this figure increases for firms with more than 1,000 employees, according to the Make UK Executive Survey 2026. So the roles in demand now lean towards robotics technicians, controls and automation engineers, data-literate operators and maintenance specialists who can keep complex lines running.
Start with the skills, not the job title. With 74% of manufacturers expecting demand for cognitive and meta-cognitive skills to rise by 2030, as Make UK's 2030 Skills report sets out, problem-solving and adaptability often matter more than a perfect match on paper. Write the role around what the person will actually need to do on an automated line.
Speed and clarity win. The firms that describe the role plainly, screen on genuine capability and respond fast are the ones that land the engineers and technicians who keep automated plants productive.
This is where we help. We search a database of 15 million candidates to surface people with the automation, engineering and maintenance skills your lines need, and we rank a shortlist in seconds so you can move before the market does. Our recruitment agent manages recruitment end to end for 8% on a successful hire, with no monthly fee and no upfront cost. Ready to build the team behind your next milestone? Start hiring with Reed.ai today.
