Demand for technical skills is holding up even as the wider jobs market cools. In the three months to October 2025, the biggest rise in vacancies came in the professional, scientific and technical activities sector, which added 5,000 roles according to ONS vacancy figures for November 2025. That tells you something simple: firms that need engineers still need them, whatever the headlines say.
The backdrop is tougher for hiring overall. Permanent staff appointments fell at the quickest rate in four months at the end of 2025, extending a downturn that has now run for 39 months per the KPMG and REC Report on Jobs. Weak employer confidence and rising costs are the reasons given. For engineering leaders, that means the pressure is on to hire well without overspending on the process.
The squeeze is sharpest at the two ends of the pipeline. Entry-level demand has dropped, with Adzuna recording a 30% fall in UK entry-level job postings since ChatGPT launched, leaving graduates facing the toughest market since 2018 as techUK reports. Fewer junior openings today means a thinner mid-level pool tomorrow, so the experienced engineers everyone wants get harder to find.
Firms are already adapting how they build technical teams. Apprenticeships have grown from 3% of AI hires in 2020 to 19% in 2025 according to the government's AI Labour Market Survey 2025. And the digital economy keeps expanding, with the government publishing regular filled-jobs estimates for the UK digital sector via DSIT's Digital Sector Employment estimates. The takeaway for engineering employers: mix experienced hires with grow-your-own routes, and keep your search net wide.
Start with a precise brief. Technical roles fail on vague requirements, so separate the skills someone must have on day one from the ones they can learn. Be specific about the stack, the certifications and the sector experience that actually matter, then let the rest go. A tighter brief means a shorter, stronger shortlist.
Move quickly once you find the right people. In a market where good engineers hold several conversations at once, speed decides who you land. Reply the same day, keep the interview process short, and give clear feedback fast. Then look hard at what you pay to hire. A traditional percentage fee rises with salary, so a senior engineer on a high wage can cost you thousands in commission before they have written a line of code or signed off a drawing.
This is where we come in. Reed.ai charges a flat 8% on a successful hire, with no monthly fee and no upfront cost, against the 15 to 25% most recruitment companies charge. We search a database of 15 million candidates, return a ranked shortlist in under 30 seconds, and it is free for the person looking for work. On a technical salary, that gap between 8% and 25% can be the difference between one hire and two. Try it on your next engineering role and see the shortlist for yourself.
