Overcoming specialist skills shortages with quality contingent talent

The UK’s aerospace and defence sector is dynamic and sophisticated, recognised globally for its elevated standards and high productivity. But it is not without challenges.

As recent reports have lamented, some firms (including OEMS, Tier 1s, Tier 2s etc and recruitment specialists) are struggling to attract and retain contingent talent with the right specialist skills. While filling niche roles is hardly a walk in the park, it doesn’t have to feel like a marathon. With the right approach, companies can counter these recruitment challenges and build skills resilience into their strategy. As the UK’s No.1 aerospace and defence recruiter, we’re here to demystify this process.

Emerging technologies have propelled the UK’s aerospace and defence sector forwards in recent years. But without the right talent, it will lose its momentum. Several sectors share this concern, which is at the heart of industry and government efforts to close the country’s STEM skills gap (a problem that is estimated to cost the UK economy £1.5bn per year).

For many businesses, contingent workers are an important part of their response to these skills shortages, and apprehensions about attracting and managing contingent talent are legitimate. However, sourcing quality contingent workers with specialist skills, such as software and systems engineering, is not an insurmountable challenge. At Morson, we have more than 216,000 live candidates in these disciplines on our database. Recruitment specialists can help employers throughout the sector to bolster their talent pipelines, not only by providing contingent workers with the right skillsets, but by leveraging transferable STEM skills from other sectors.

At Morson, we have been championing the defence sector and its skills resilience since our inception and are known for successfully sourcing and placing talent across the full lifecycle of projects. Our teams are divided into specialist areas which includes systems and software, design and analysis, and corporate functions. Dividing our teams like this allows us to provide expert knowledge, up to date market insight which is tailored specifically to organisations seeking niche skillsets. From a candidate perspective, it enables us to partner with a talent pool to understand its skill development needs and match it to the varied roles as well as opportunities in the sector. This approach not only allows us to understand future and current skills development needs but also ensures that we can effectively match candidates with roles that align with their expertise and career aspirations.

By leveraging our subsidiary and offload business, Morson Projects, the provision of system engineering capability isn’t a challenge; it’s something we’ve been excelling at for years. With a 45-year heritage, Morson Projects brings extensive experience in providing expert consultancy services throughout the design life cycle from Research & Technology to in-service support. In addition, Morson Projects has been actively involved in upskilling systems engineers, enabling the Morson Group to seamlessly bridge the skills gap for our clients. By harnessing the capabilities of Morson Projects, we ensure that our team remains equipped to tackle evolving challenges in the defence sector effectively, staying at the forefront of technological advancements.

We are also proactive when it comes to building future talent pipelines. Our Pathfinders Academy, for example, presents an innovative approach to talent acquisition, development and retention by helping organisations to assess their skills gaps and creating bespoke training programmes to give candidates the technical expertise they require.

By taking ambitious individuals from overlooked talent pools such as back-to-work parents and ex-services personnel and retraining them to fulfil required roles, organisations can plug future skills gaps whilst delivering genuine social value.

In order to respond robustly to the UK’s skills shortage, we have combined our Group service lines into a Total Talent Solution, which harmonises all aspects of the workforce planning and acquisition process. Morson Total Talent blends our contingent talent solutions with our diverse range of integrated service lines, incorporating our ability to deliver strategic talent acquisition programmes. This includes both our contractor workforce of over 216,000 individuals and statement of work (SOW) solutions where we have over 100 of skilled systems and software engineers ready to deliver against projects, along with connections that allow us to fill niche and hard-to-fill roles with ease.

While delivering against immediate business need is essential, our focus extends beyond the short-term. We are also working hard to futureproof skills in sectors like aerospace and defence by investing in talent at an early age, making opportunities available to young people regardless of their socioeconomic position. The Morson STEM Foundation, for example, aims to increase the talent pipeline by widening participation and pathways into education and training. It is delivered through our long-standing partnership with The University of Salford and the Morson Maker Space who create programmes of activity in collaboration with educational establishments, employers and industry stakeholders to raise the profile of STEM nationally.

Our success is underpinned by a strategic approach that combines market intelligence with proactive talent engagement. Experts from within Morson and our expansive industry network contribute insights that enable us to anticipate demand and cultivate a ready supply of skills-aligned talent. This foresight, coupled with our robust talent engagement strategies, ensures that we remain steps ahead, ready to meet our clients’ needs with agility and precision.

As the aerospace and defence sector continues to navigate the complexities of technological innovation and shifting workforce dynamics, Morson stands ready to help our clients overcome skills-based challenges. Our track record, strategic approach, and unwavering commitment to sector-specific excellence reaffirm that the issues raised in recent reports, while significant, are not insurmountable. Get in touch with us today to find out more