It was created as the basis for UK’s approach to tackling the ever-growing and serious problem of climate change.
Following the introduction of this act, the UK government is legally committed to reducing the levels of greenhouse gases recorded in 1990 by 100% (net zero) by the year 2050.
Therefore, this is a solid indicator that the renewable energy sector is a clear growth sector within Engineering and will continue to be so. Not only in 2023, but for the foreseeable future.
In fact, job opportunities in this sector are actually growing four times faster than any other sector in the UK employment market!
With this in mind, it stands to reason that the UK are not alone in seeing a significant rise in job opportunities within the renewable energy sector.
In fact, a recent report published by the International Labour Organisationannounced that the number of people employed in the renewable energy sector rose to 12.7 million globally.
These latest figures indicate an increase of 700,000 job opportunities globally, compared to the previous year.
In relation to where the UK stands for installed renewable energy, it doesn’t make for particularly great reading to date.
However, this can be seen to further highlight the need for more skilled engineers to help improve the UK’s renewable energy status.
There are several recent developments set up by the government, that will create a further increase in engineering job opportunities.
Most recently, in December 2022, the UK Minister for Energy and Climate Graham Stuart, signed a landmark agreement on renewable energy cooperation with EU and North Seas countries.
This agreement will enable the UK to work with other members of the North Seas Energy Cooperation to develop renewable projects in the North Sea.
Specifically working on projects linking electricity interconnectors and wind farms.
Furthermore, the UK government has set ambitious targets to increase offshore wind fivefold by 2030.
In summary, the demand for jobs in the renewable energy sector for engineering roles in the UK is set to continue to increase, in a bid to tackle and support climate change initiatives.
Automation & Robotics
The automation and robotics sector is often considered by many to be a modern approach to engineering, in comparison to civil and mechanical engineering.
However, the automation industry dates back to the early 1950s, when George C. Devol, an inventor from Louisville, Kentucky invented and patented a reprogrammable manipulator.
This was known at that time to be the world's first-ever robot, created from "Universal Automation.”
Fast forward to 2023 and the world as we know it today has become increasingly dependent on automation and artificial intelligence.
Putting this into context, in November 2022, Globe Newswire published an eye-opening report.
As Robotics Industry 4.0 plays a pivotal role in global manufacturing, in turn, the demand for engineering roles within the sector will continue to rise upwards.
In fact, sales of professional service robots have increased by 37% in 2021 according to the World Robotics 2022 – Service Robots report issued by the International Federation of Robotics (IFR).
Furthermore, the report states that the strongest growth is now coming from Europe.
In 2021, the UK broke into the top 15 countries globally in the production of industrial robots.
The automotive industry is, by far, the largest user of industrial robots in the UK and represents growth opportunities for employment for software and design engineers.
With sales to this sector rising by 16% during 2020, representing 40% of all industrial robot installations in the UK.
Aerospace & Defence
The aerospace and defence industry are two government sectors that are, by their very nature, intertwined.
Particularly as the aerospace market contributes significantly towards both the defence systems of the United Kingdom and international exports.
The UK aerospace industry is respected worldwide and known to be the second largest in the world, behind that of the United States.
In 2021, the UK was listed as the third largest investor in the global defence sector, behind the US, China and India. Indicating an increase in turnover of £17 billion since 2017.
But what does this represent in terms of job opportunities for engineers in the UK?
Well, that’s a tricky one to quantify in simple terms.
There are, however, clear indicators that signify both stability and growth in the defence sector.
And how that affects job opportunities in the defence and aerospace industry.
In 2022, employment opportunities in the Aerospace and Defence sector increased by 16.53% month on month throughout the year.
Furthermore, there was an increase of 21.87% in job opportunities, month on month from September 2022 through to year-end.
Overall investment in these sectors has continued to show consistent growth, with the government budget on defence and aerospace increasing year on year since 2017.
While this sector has historically shown signs of some decreases in growth, the UK continues to remain the second largest global defence exporter after the USA.
It is also worth noting, the UK is world-renowned as a global centre of excellence for the design and production of engines, helicopters, wings, structures, and aircraft systems.
In summary, the defence and aerospace sectors remain buoyant, with no evidence of signs of growth or investment demising any time soon.
One more point…
If you are currently working in the engineering sector, or on a graduate training programme to become an engineer, we would love to talk to you about your career aspirations.
Our team of highly experienced and well-connected engineering recruitment consultants are able to assist with finding the right opportunity for you, both in the UK and beyond.
Feel free to give us a call on 01276 405870 or email your CV to us at info@syntechrecruitment.co.uk
