Sophie Smith

Does your business harness the power of smart manufacturing? 🌐 Smart manufacturing is transforming the UK's industrial landscape by integrating advanced technologies like IoT, AI, and machine learning into production processes. According to a recent report by PwC, over 75% of UK manufacturing firms expect a significant upturn in efficiency and productivity through smart solutions by 2027. Imagine a factory floor where machines communicate seamlessly, predictive maintenance reduces downtime, and data-driven insights lead to smarter, faster decisions. These innovations are not just futuristic ideas but present-day realities driving sustainable growth and competitive advantage. Moreover, smart manufacturing is not only enhancing operational efficiency but also supporting companies in their sustainability goals. By optimising resource usage and reducing waste, businesses contribute to a greener planet while improving their bottom line. Join the conversation! How has smart manufacturing impacted your business operations? Share your experiences or thoughts in the comments below. #SmartManufacturing #IndustrialInnovation #SustainableGrowth

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Helped a fintech client navigate a sensitive inside IR35 placement last month. The key? Clear role definition + early contractor alignment.

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Manufacturing & Engineering Candidate Market Update - Kent 2025 The recruitment landscape in Kent's manufacturing and engineering sectors continues to evolve, and there are some key trends employers should be aware of this year. 📌 Vacancies & Candidate Availability Vacancies across the UK have slowed compared with recent years, but candidate availability has risen at the fastest pace since the pandemic. This means there are more people actively looking for work, but securing the right technical skills remains challenging. 📌 Strong Demand in the Sector In engineering and manufacturing, demand remains strong. Over 40% of employers plan to increase headcount in 2025, and government investment in UK manufacturing (covering automotive, clean energy, life sciences, and more) is boosting confidence. However, more than three-quarters of hiring managers are reporting difficulty finding candidates with the right skills. 📌 Salary Expectations & Candidate Movement We are seeing that candidate salary expectations are higher than in previous years. Professionals are less likely to move roles for the same pay, especially when there are multiple opportunities within Kent. This means employers need to be as competitive as possible in their offers, not just in salary, but also in benefits, flexibility, and career progression opportunities. 📌 What Candidates Value Alongside pay, all candidates are prioritising purpose, culture, work-life balance, and flexibility. These factors are often as important as salary when making a career move. 📌 How NAG Can Help At New Appointments Group, we've been supporting manufacturing and engineering recruitment across Kent and the South East for over 50 years. We know the local market inside out and have strong networks of candidates, helping employers move quickly to secure the right talent. If you're reviewing your recruitment plans for the remainder of 2025, I would be happy to support with local salary benchmarking, candidate expectations, and how to ensure your roles are competitive in the current market. E: J.Noble@newappointmentsgroup.co.uk T: 01304 806059

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3 Ways to Attract Top Automation Talent Without Increasing Salaries Hiring automation engineers is competitive—and simply raising salaries isn’t always feasible (or sustainable). From what I’m seeing across the market, the companies winning top automation talent focus on three things beyond pay: 🔹 1. Clear Career Progression Engineers want to know where their skills will take them in 2–5 years—not just their next project. 🔹 2. Exposure to Modern Technology Top talent wants to work with cutting-edge systems, not just maintain legacy setups. 🔹 3. Flexibility & Trust Where possible, hybrid working, autonomy, and outcome-focused leadership make a huge difference. Compensation matters—but purpose, growth, and trust often matter more. 💬 Question: What’s been your most effective retention or attraction strategy for automation talent? #AutomationJobs #TalentAttraction #RecruitmentInsights #FutureOfWork #EngineeringCareers

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There's a problem in the job market and its becoming increasingly common in the engineering and manufacturing landscape in South Wales - the ‘wish list’ hiring problem. We've all seen job descriptions that try to roll multiple jobs into one. - Design, manufacturing support, and continuous improvement - one role - Hands-on delivery with leadership accountability - Expecting depth across multiple disciplines that typically sit across different roles The inevitable outcome is that companies cannot fill roles and it feeds into the skillset shortage conversation when in reality its a specification issue. The strongest hiring strategies I’m seeing right now in South Wales are much clearer: - Define what actually matters for the role - Be realistic on experience vs salary - Hire for potential, not perfection Companies that are adapting to this are the ones securing the best talent. You can’t hire effectively in today’s market with yesterday’s expectations.

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I spoke to a business leader in the Laser industry last week, their biggest hiring hurdle right now?? Attracting and qualifying REAL business developers… The hunters, not order takers nor relationship led account managers (they have their own usefulness and skill set) But business builders, market creators, door openers, revenue generators. The talent that can identify a market, and has a proven strategy and methodology to attack it. Getting it wrong is easy to do,  and EVERY time it’s costly. Those “looks great on paper” candidates from your competition who bring a black book full of contacts within your ideal target customers… It doesn’t necessarily mean they know how to convert those into cash for your business. So, how do we mitigate the risk? Through thorough qualification and proper structured interviewing.  “Show me your first 90 day BD strategy to open these accounts” exercises are usually quite telling. There are some insightful sales focused psychometric assessments you can use too to support the decision. It can show you whether they have the new business DNA (not what they say, but how they’re wired) We use several here to support clients key hires. It’s also useful to partner with a recruiter who is well connected, who knows who the A players are, what it takes to secure them. Curious to know, is this an industry wide hiring issue, are you experiencing the same hiring conundrum? #businessdevelopment #hiring #hunters 

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Strong perspective Jidz. This way of working is already driving meaningful outcomes for our clients — and it sets us apart in a crowded market.

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Controversial opinion incoming (searches for tin hat and puts it on). Engineering graduates don’t need hands on experience to do the job. There is more to engineering than just practical skills. I say this as a time served engineer myself. I’ve worked with some fantastic engineers who have never been near a machine. There are so many roles within the engineering realm, and having an aptitude for academic learning, understanding, and analysis is just as valuable. There is room for both the traditional apprenticeship pathways and the graduate pathways. One isn’t better than the other - they’re different, and can’t really be compared. In my opinion, graduates are massively underutilised within SMEs. I think it’s fair to say there can be a bit of snobbery from those who started as apprentices, as they will always value the fundamental competences and probably expect that from their teams. Is this a short sighted view? I’d be interested to get your thoughts on this - could make for an interesting discussion!

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Your engineers will only do a certain amount of ‘favours’ (Extra shifts, late nights, covering for a colleague)  Until they get fed up and leave… There’s only so many times you can play the “help me out” card before it backfires. Just last week, I heard from an operations director at a fast-expanding Sub contractor firm, one of those people who prides themselves on protecting the team, not burning them out. He faced a classic pinch, project volumes surged, and two additional contractors were needed by Monday. We managed to get one. The second? Bogged down in approvals, stuck for the better part of a month while paperwork floated between inboxes. So, the core team bore the extra load. Extra shifts.
 Late nights.
 The ever-familiar “could you cover just this once?” requests. By the time upper management finally questioned the delay, the damage was already done. The director’s reply was pointed but calm: “Don’t worry about it now, it’s handled. But I’ve had to lean on four of my best people to cover two consecutive weekends. They’re tired and, frankly, I’m worried we’ve pushed a bit too far.” Here’s the real issue: every favour drawn is a withdrawal from the morale bank. Keep borrowing, and eventually the account runs dry, not just of goodwill, but of your best people. Fast, clear decision-making around resourcing isn’t just operational efficiency, it’s frontline risk management for burnout. Good people, the ones who consistently step up, have options. Lose their trust, and you lose more than productivity, you lose your culture, your reputation, and often, your competitive edge.

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A first for me yesterday morning! An engineer had left their LINE MANAGER'S phone number as the contact number.. 😳 Let's just say it was an awkward call when you start the call with saying you've seen their CV come online! 😂 So just as a public service announcement, please check your contact details before posting your CV.. it'll save a few recruiters heart attacks! 😂

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Worth a read for any IT contractor navigating IR35 👇 There are alternatives to umbrella companies that offer more flexibility, transparency, and control over your earnings. Hyerhub’s Off-Payroll Worker model is a great example—simple pricing, no hidden fees, and you stay truly independent. Definitely something to consider if you're rethinking your setup.

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“I’m not seeing many freelance contracts online…” I hear this a lot from QSs thinking about going freelance. The reality? You’re not going to find a steady stream of Outside IR35 contracts on job boards. The good ones never make it there. They’re closed off behind trusted networks. Filled before a client even thinks about posting on Indeed or CV Library. Either the client already has a contact base they trust or they’re speaking to me. Freelance is built on long-term relationships, not short-term scrolling. Build your network, not your CV Library alerts. If you want to get into the rooms where these roles are decided, start before you “need” the work. That’s how the best stay booked.

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Engineering Managers in food manufacturing are facing a growing skills challenge. With automation, robotics and smart controls on the rise, sites need a mix of mechanical and electrical expertise. To bridge the gap, we need to: Cross train staff for flexibility Targeting hires for critical skills Invest in upskilling current employees at the earliest opportunity The goal is to create a well rounded, and adaptable engineering team that keeps production, safe, efficient and future ready. We don't have a talent shortage, we have an expectation and skills gap.

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The UK's manufacturing sector is buzzing with new investments to supercharge productivity! 🚀 Leading companies and the government have recently injected millions into advanced manufacturing technology, automation, and research. These investments aim to enhance efficiency, reduce production costs, and drive innovation within the sector. Notable examples include the government's boost of £500 million into sustainable manufacturing practices and the private sector's contribution significantly to AI-driven production lines. These steps are crucial to ensuring the UK remains at the cutting edge of the global manufacturing industry. Exciting times ahead for UK manufacturing! 🇬🇧✨ #UKManufacturing #IndustryInnovation #ProductionBoost

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Quick question for all the mechanical, electrical & manufacturing recruiters out there What’s slowing your permanent recruitment down the most right now? 1️⃣ Salary expectations 2️⃣ Hard‑to‑find technical skills 3️⃣ Interview processes taking too long 4️⃣ Counteroffers Working with ME, EE, and manufacturing teams in the South West, I’m seeing consistent themes, and in many cases, small changes to role scope, benchmarking, or interview structure. Comment with the number (or add your own). I’ll share a practical fix based on what you’re seeing. #EngineeringRecruitment #MechanicalEngineering #ElectricalEngineering #ManufacturingJobs #SouthWestJobs

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⚙️ Engineering & Manufacturing folks… Quick one for your Monday/Tuesday scroll 👇 What’s harder right now? 🔧 Finding good people 💷 Agreeing on salary expectations 📅 Getting people through notice periods ☕ Keeping roles open without going mad From what I’m seeing, it’s a bit of all of the above depending on the role 😅 If you’re hiring or just curious about what’s out there right now, I’m always happy to have a quick chat and share what I’m seeing on the ground. #Engineering #Manufacturing #Recruitment #Hiring #Jobs

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Aerospace tech transforming UK engineering jobs 🚀 The aerospace industry is redefining how we view engineering roles in the UK. With advancements in AI, automation, and materials technology, the landscape is evolving rapidly. We're seeing a surge in demand for roles focused on: ✅ AI and software development ✅ Sustainable aviation solutions ✅ Advanced manufacturing techniques This shift is not just about technical skills; there's a growing need for engineers who can drive innovation and sustainability. In the RAF, I saw first-hand how tech shapes our future. Today, it’s not just about keeping up but leading the charge. How are you seeing these changes impact your industry? Share your thoughts below! https://sj-talentgroup.com #Aerospace #EngineeringJobs #UKManufacturing SJEnginee

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Whether you're running a small warehouse or scaling a national operation, recruitment isn't just about filling vacancies. It's about understanding your workflow, compliance needs, and the real cost of a bad hire. A valuable recruitment partner doesn't just send CVs they ask the right questions, tailor their approach, and stay aligned with your goals. If you're reviewing your hiring strategy this quarter, it's worth asking: Are your partners solving problems or just ticking boxes? #HiringStrategy #SmartHiring #WorkforcePlanning #BusinessOperations

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Really enjoyed putting this together 📝 If you're interested in hearing what I have to say about the Embedded & Electronics Market, as well as how I help my clients secure top talent, feel free to give this a read!

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