The UK has room to grow. The International Federation of Robotics reported that UK utilisation of industrial robots substantially lags internationally, using only 101 robots per 10,000 workers in 2020 the Smart Machines Strategy 2035 from GOV.UK. That gap shows up again in global rankings, where the UK sits just 24th in robotics density, according to Make UK's Making it Smarter report.
Here's the opportunity. The same report estimates that targeted innovation and digital investment could add £150 billion to the UK's GDP by 2035 Make UK. Closing the gap means hiring and training the people who design, run and maintain these systems, and that is reshaping who recruiters look for.
The job titles are widening because the work is. 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, according to Make UK's 2030 Skills: Closing the Gap report. In plain terms, employers want problem-solving, adaptability and the ability to learn new systems, not only robot programming.
Much of the answer is internal. 40% of manufacturers are looking to upskill their existing workforce, specifically for redeployment as a result of automation and digitalisation, with that figure rising for firms with more than 1,000 employees, per the Make UK Executive Survey 2026. So robotics recruitment increasingly blends external hires with people retrained from within.
People, mostly. 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, according to The Manufacturer's coverage of a Make UK report. The technology is ready before the workforce is, which makes hiring and training the real constraint on progress.
Start with skills, not titles. Because 74% of manufacturers expect demand for cognitive and meta-cognitive skills to rise by 2030 Make UK, write job adverts around what someone needs to do: integrate systems, troubleshoot, learn fast. That widens your talent pool to people from adjacent fields who can grow into the role.
Speed matters when the people you want are scarce. A clear, skills-led shortlist and a fast interview process keep strong applicants engaged before someone else hires them.
We search a database of 15 million candidates to find people with the skills your robotics and automation roles need, including those from adjacent fields who can grow into the work. Our recruitment agent manages recruitment end to end for 8% on a successful hire, with no monthly fee and no upfront cost. Tell us the role, and we'll start building your shortlist today.
