The British motor industry has been the jewel in the crown of our engineering heritage for the best part of a century. 50 years ago it was the world’s biggest outside America. But, having hit well-documented difficulties throughout the 60’s, 70’s and 80’s and really limping into this millennium, has the rest of the world, not to mention the rest of Europe, left British car manufacture behind in their dust?

With the acquisition of many established but ailing British brands by German companies and Japanese investment in several huge plants around the country, the UK is now seen as a volume manufacturing force once again. Today, the industry is responsible for producing 1.2 million vehicles and two million engines per year, of which three-quarters are exported, as well as employing 770,000 people and contributing £8.5 billion to the economy, some 2% of GDP. Which is all good news for the many thousands of British engineers required to fuel this resurgence.

All this adds up to a real opportunity for the thousands of aspiring engineers, trainees and graduates looking to forge successful and sustainable careers in the industry. In recent years, the requirements of growing businesses in this sector have not always been met with the level of graduates many have needed. Citing difficulties finding candidates with the essential skill-set or the practical knowhow necessary to fit easily into the workforce, many businesses are concerned that the need for a workforce to match the growing potential is going unmet. Engineering recruitment firms are in the ideal position to assist both; the businesses so desperately seeking the right candidates to help them to continue the upward trend in the industry, and the next generation of trainee, apprentice and skilled engineer in finding the right opportunity to begin their careers in a thriving and robust industry.

The British motor industry is now training around 20,000 apprentices and, according to the Learning and Skills Council’s “Working Futures” research, this is not set to decline any time soon with a total ‘replacement requirement’ of up to 120,000 people in all disciplines across the automotive retail sector over the next decade. With the continued investment promised by Government, as well as major manufacturers (such as Nissan in Sunderland and BMW in Oxford), it looks as though the industry is secure for a few years at least.