Skills shortages in engineering have continued to grow, with applications tumbling in April. That’s according to the latest insight from the Association of Professional Staffing Companies.

The data – provided by Veritone Hire – showed a continued downward trend in permanent jobs for the last three months, with April reporting a 3 per cent fall month-on-month. Contract jobs were also down 11 per cent between March and April 2024. While this is indicative of wider economic trends, the statistics paint a more worrying picture for job applications.

In April, the number of people applying for permanent engineering jobs dropped by almost 40 per cent month-on-month, with an annual fall of 23 per cent also noted. Contract applications also declined, down 44 per cent between March and April 2024.

“While we may be seeing a fluctuation in vacancies in engineering which is to be expected in the current economic climate, it is the falling applications that are of more concern. The sector is persistently reporting a decline in people moving roles which exceeds any decline in jobs. It’s clear that the skills gap is growing and with an uptick in salaries in Q1 failing to boost applications, all signs are pointing to a significant talent shortage in the months ahead,” comments Ann Swain, Global CEO at APSCo.