TRANSFORMING TALENT ACROSS AEROSPACE, DEFENCE & SPACE. 

There’s a conversation happening in UK aviation that isn’t said out loud in hangars or management meetings. Aleck Mehra , our Head of MRO Services, speaks with aerospace engineers across the country every day and has gathered insight into where engineers feel the industry has been heading in recent months. The conversation is not about lack of work, and it's not about the lack of demand for engineers (since there is critical demand for B1/B2 Engineers in the UK market currently). It’s about money not flowing through the system in a way that reflects the reality on the floor. Across the UK, aerospace engineers are starting to notice the same pattern: rates feel stuck, perm salaries have flattened in a lot of places, and the gap between responsibility and reward has stopped making sense in the way it used to. At the same time, the complexity of the work has not gone down. If anything, it has increased: new aircraft types, ageing fleets, tighter turnaround expectations, heavier compliance requirements, and more documentation are layered on top of the actual engineering. In the UK specifically, that pressure is being amplified by a tougher operating environment across aviation. Brexit regulatory change, combined with broader economic pressure on airlines and MROs, has created a market where margins are tighter and cost control is far more aggressive. This is very visible in the stability of some operators, with recent insolvencies such as European Cargo and Ascend Airways reflecting how fragile parts of the sector have become. This is felt directly by engineers on the shop floor. MROs are being asked to deliver more output with constrained budgets, while also navigating ongoing staffing shortages and more complex licensing and compliance requirements introduced through the post EU framework. The result is a squeeze that sits between financial pressure at organisational level and delivery expectations at engineering level, and it is changing how the work is experienced day to day. You end up with a market where: • The work is harder than it was 5 years ago • The responsibility is higher than it was 5 years ago • But the financial movement does not match either It’s now far more common for experienced engineers to contract abroad where both accommodation and flights are more likely to be paid for. This migration of talent from the UK further constricts the UK B1 market, making it harder for MROs to stay fully-staffed and operational. So what's the fix? It isn't complicated, but it does require leadership to accept they are already behind the market (rather than just making do and 'surviving' a reactive environment). The current model of flat perm salaries in a rising complexity environment is structurally broken. MROs that want to stabilise staffing need to reprice critical skill sets properly and stop benchmarking against historical rates/legacy competitors that are already losing people. That means introducing clear differentiation for type rated B1 engineers, not compressed pay bands that treat experience as linear. It also means getting serious about shift premiums, productivity linked pay, and retention incentives that actually move take-home, not just salary figures that look good on paper but fail in reality. The market is already simultaneously self-correcting through contracting, and pretending otherwise is costing employers skilled labour. Engineers are voting with their feet, because contracting abroad or within Europe removes costs like accommodation, travel, and bureaucracy while increasing net earnings and flexibility. UK MROs must respond by building structured contractor pipelines instead of treating contracting as a threat. This includes mixed workforce models where core teams are stabilised and peak demand is flexed through contractors, alongside faster licensing pathways, relocation support and properly-funded training-to-type programmes that reduce dependence on an increasingly mobile and senior workforce. A longer term solution sits in the talent pipeline. With UK youth unemployment continuing to rise, aviation has an opportunity to position itself as a viable career path rather than an industry many people discover by accident. Aircraft maintenance offers highly skilled, well paid and globally transferable careers, yet awareness among school leavers remains surprisingly low compared to other technical professions. The industry needs greater engagement with schools, colleges and local communities, alongside more visible apprenticeship pathways that show young people exactly how they can progress from trainee to licensed engineer. If the UK is serious about maintaining its aviation capability over the coming decades, investment in attracting and developing the next generation of engineers can’t remain an afterthought. The challenge is that retention matters just as much as recruitment. Most engineers we speak to genuinely love aviation. They enjoy working on aircraft, solving technical problems and taking pride in keeping fleets flying safely. The concern is that the role increasingly feels dominated by commercial pressures, staffing shortages and growing admin rather than the engineering itself. If the industry wants to attract young talent and keep experienced professionals, it must ensure that it rewards their expertise and passion. Otherwise, the sector risks creating a situation where people are drawn to aviation by their love of aircraft but ultimately leave because the realities of the job no longer reflect what attracted them in the first place. How we can help: If securing high-calibre aerospace engineers is critical to your project or organisation in 2026, our Head of MRO Services Aleck Mehra can guide you through the process, connect you with the best talent in the industry and help you map out your organisation's long‑term pipeline. Email: aleck.mehra@meritustalent.com Call: 07441 391 885

Hiring Aerospace, Defence and Space talent hasn't got easier. It's become more selective. Organisations are competing for increasingly scarce skills across engineering, project controls, programme management, cyber security, software development and highly cleared environments. At the same time, experienced professionals have become far more discerning about the opportunities they pursue. Employer Value Propositions (EVPs) are becoming a critical part of talent acquisition strategy. Not because they're simply an employer branding exercise, but because they directly influence whether ADS professionals choose your organisation over another opportunity, and whether they remain engaged once they join. WHAT ARE AEROSPACE, DEFENCE AND SPACE PROFESSIONALS LOOKING FOR TODAY? Candidates are less likely to move unless the opportunity offers meaningful value beyond compensation. Whilst salary remains important, engineers, programme leaders and technical specialists are increasingly evaluating the wider environment they'll be joining. Candidates are consistently prioritising: Competitive compensation and benefits Long-term programme stability and security Meaningful work with real-world impact Clear progression and professional development opportunities Strong technical leadership and engineering culture Access to complex and challenging projects Confidence in programme funding and organisational stability The opportunity to contribute to critical national capability and innovation If these factors aren't communicated clearly, candidates often disengage before the process reaches offer stage. Purpose and impact are becoming increasingly important, particularly amongst highly skilled professionals who want to understand how their work contributes to something bigger. In Aerospace, Defence and Space environments, candidates are not only choosing a role. They're carefully selecting a programme, a mission and a long-term commitment. Job security has also become increasingly important. As organisations continue to navigate budget pressures, contract cycles and changing programme priorities, candidates are taking a more cautious approach to career moves. They are not asking: "Is this a better role?" They're actively questioning and deliberating on: "Is this a programme worth committing my expertise to?" FLEXIBILITY STILL MATTERS, BUT STABILITY AND PURPOSE MATTER MORE Flexible working continues to play an important role in attracting talent. However, in Aerospace, Defence and Space sectors, the conversation is often more nuanced. Security requirements, programme sensitivity and on-site delivery requirements mean flexibility can look very different to other industries. Whilst hybrid working remains an important consideration for many professionals, candidates are increasingly focused on wider questions around programme stability, organisational purpose and long-term career opportunities. They are assessing: The longevity of programmes and contracts The quality of leadership Opportunities for professional growth The complexity and significance of the work Whether the organisation is investing in future capability Flexibility remains important, but for many ADS professionals it forms part of a much broader decision-making process. WHY AN EVP MATTERS MORE THAN EVER Too often an EVP is reduced to: A careers page A list of benefits Generic statements about culture and values In reality, your EVP is the reason an engineer, programme professional or ADS specialist chooses your organisation over another. It should be visible throughout the hiring process, onboarding experience and day-to-day culture. Organisations with a clear and well-communicated EVP typically: Attract stronger specialist talent pipelines Convert more offers Reduce reliance on inflated salaries Improve retention within critical programmes Accelerate productivity for new hires Strengthen employee engagement and capability The strongest organisations are creating environments where people can make a genuine impact, develop their careers and contribute to meaningful programmes, then communicating that consistently throughout the hiring process. Where EVP is weak: Time-to-hire increases Candidate drop-off rises Recruitment costs increase Critical skills gaps emerge Programme delivery risks grow Attrition impacts organisational capability For organisations operating in highly regulated and technically complex ADS environments, talent challenges rarely remain recruitment challenges for long. They quickly become business risks.

Over 2000 roles are left open annually by UK aviation maintenance, leading to high reliance on an ageing workforce, overseas talent and short-term contract fixes. But businesses want to hire, and they have never been more open to addressing their talent pipeline. If you're a young engineer aspiring towards a well-paid and interesting career, you should consider training to become B1 Licensed. We've put together this step-by-step guide on how you can gain to access the industry and, eventually, your licence. 

After a successful visit to the Aerospace Wales Expo in Llandudno at the tail end of Q1, we sat down with aerospace, defence and space SMEs and employment lawyers to discuss the upcoming Employee Rights Act and how it impacts hiring strategy, culture and retention in the context of the new financial year. The Employee Rights Act 2025 is the biggest shake up in employment law that many of us will have seen in our lifetimes. It's a silent change in risk, workforce control and support and, potentially, programme delivery stability.

The UK labour market is tightening for junior engineers. Youth unemployment has risen to ~16% amongst 16-24 year olds, with nearly one million young people being NEET (not in employment, education or training). Engineering apprenticeships have fallen by approximately 40% since 2017, yet the UK manufacturing sector still needs an estimated 168,000 new workers per year. This creates a paradox: a skills shortage alongside a hiring bottleneck for junior candidates.