Several forces at play within the engineering sector, including skill shortages, are keeping UK staffing firms on their toes, according to Staffing Industry Review. In SI Review’s latest article, ‘Engineering for Change’, SIA highlights that demand remains strong for engineering talent in the UK, but recruiting in the sector faces some challenges brought on by a skills shortage. Speaking with several executives at engineering recruitment firms, SIA found that given the shortage, the candidate experience has become increasingly important in the recruitment process. Technology is also emerging as a major factor as it can mean that new skills are required within the engineering sector. Craig Slater, recruitment director EMEA at Airswift, said another one of the biggest changes in UK engineering recruitment over the past 20 years is how clients work with recruitment firms. “There’s been a massive shift in the way that the clients now want to partner with recruitment companies,” Slater says. “Now, it’s significantly more sophisticated.” Brexit was also highlighted as a challenge as it can potentially have an impact on labour access.