West Midlands tops list as most expensive area to hire engineers

According to data obtained from National Statistics, engineering professionals in the West Midlands now earn a median annual salary of £43,046, up from £37,359 in 2012, a rise of 15 per cent. Further south, pay for engineers in London increased by 3.2 per cent, from £41,483 to £42,837 over the same period.

Five years ago, the West Midlands was placed sixth out of 11 UK regions for engineering sector pay, behind London, South East, East Anglia, South West and Scotland.

SJD Accountancy said that shortages of engineering skills worsened in the West Midlands in recent years as the automotive sector posted record sales and ramped up investment and production. The recent announcement of job losses at Jaguar Land Rover, and the takeover of GKN, however, could curb pay inflation in the West Midlands engineering sector.

Derek Kelly, CEO of SJD Accountancy, said: “The success of the UK automotive sector over the last five years has made the West Midlands the most expensive region for engineering talent in the entire country. Finding the right engineering skills in Birmingham has become increasingly difficult, forcing businesses to offer more money and other benefits. Carmakers have become more reliant on recruiting engineers from the supply chain, triggering bidding wars as suppliers seek to retain skills.