A "WAR for Talent" could be about to break out in manufacturing and engineering, a Worcestershire recruitment specialist has warned.

Although more engineering graduates are being recruited and apprenticeships being created, it could take years to filter through to address the existing demands, says a report by the Consilium Group of Stourport on Seven. In the meantime employers are likely to increasingly look to other sectors for workers or bring in talent from across mainland Europe.

Russell Tuck, director of Consilium, said: “Our survey this year has highlighted that in the current recruitment market, the jobseeker is king. But to compete successfully, employers here in the West Midlands must respond by making the candidate experience fairer, more dynamic and ultimately, positive.

“Employers are realising that wage inflation is a dangerous precedent. In response, our findings have shown they are increasingly prepared to widen their search criteria to include alternative industry sectors or looking overseas for talent in Europe.

“Additionally however, a positive response has been the major uptake in graduate and apprenticeship recruitment. Admittedly the effects of these efforts will take years to filter through to the region’s jobs market, but represent a genuine commitment from industry to rebalance the skills shortage in the longer term.”

Consilium's annual manufacturing salary survey shows that more than half of West Midlands manufacturing, automotive and engineering businesses are planning to take on extra staff this year as they try to meet soaring demand. With productivity within manufacturing growing at an average 2.8 per cent, almost double the annual rate of the services sector, the substantial level of inward investment witnessed by UK manufacturing in recent years, coupled with a clear government commitment from all parties to rebalance the UK economy, places manufacturing very much at the forefront of economic reform.