Engineering vacancies have surged by 633% in a year, but the proportion of entry-level positions has remained largely unchanged, raising concerns that aspiring engineers are being left behind despite record demand for talent.

Research by precision engineering specialist Accu found that an average of just 9% of engineering vacancies advertised between June 2025 and June 2026 were entry-level roles.

The findings come as Greater Manchester Mayor Andy Burnham sets out plans to give young people the option to study technical subjects, including engineering and manufacturing, at school.

Industry experts have warned, however, that expanding technical education must be accompanied by greater investment in apprenticeships, graduate schemes and junior roles. There are also concerns that the growing use of artificial intelligence could begin to replace elements of the practical training and mentoring traditionally provided through entry-level employment.

Accu analysed approximately 275,000 UK engineering job advertisements collected from Indeed. Engineering roles were identified by vacancies containing the keyword “engineer”, while entry-level positions were classified using terms including graduate, junior, apprentice, trainee, intern, associate, entry level and new graduate.

In June 2025, there were 3,466 engineering vacancies, of which 243, or 7.01%, were entry-level. By June 2026, the total number of vacancies had climbed to 25,410, representing an increase of 633%.

However, only 1,547 of those positions, or 6.09%, were entry-level, meaning the proportion of opportunities for people beginning their careers was almost one percentage point lower than a year earlier.

Total engineering vacancies reached a high of 28,819 in January 2026, when 2,450, or 8.5%, were entry-level.

The share of entry-level vacancies peaked at 15.18% in September 2025, when 1,377 of the 9,072 engineering jobs advertised were suitable for new entrants. This coincided with the start of the academic year, when a higher volume of apprentices and graduates would be expected to enter the recruitment market.

November 2025 recorded the greatest number of entry-level vacancies, at 2,849, but these represented just 12.38% of the 23,008 engineering jobs advertised that month.

The geographical picture also varied significantly. Bath had the highest proportion of entry-level engineering vacancies, with 92 of its 554 advertised roles, or 16.6%, classified as entry-level.

Brighton followed at 14.9%, with 115 entry-level positions among 773 vacancies, while Swindon recorded 127 entry-level roles out of a total of 863, equivalent to 14.7%.

Newcastle upon Tyne was the highest-ranked city in northern England, placing eighth nationally. Of the 3,586 engineering vacancies advertised in the city during the study period, 427, or 11.9%, were entry-level.

York ranked tenth, with 88 entry-level jobs among 770 vacancies, representing 11.4% of the total.

At the other end of the table, Bradford had the lowest proportion of entry-level engineering opportunities in the UK. Just 30 of the city’s 685 advertised vacancies, or 4.4%, were suitable for people beginning their careers.

By comparison, 10.4% of the 5,534 engineering vacancies advertised in nearby Leeds were entry-level roles.

Portsmouth recorded the second-lowest proportion at 5.6%, followed by Bournemouth at 5.8%. Accu suggested that Portsmouth’s concentration of naval, defence and marine engineering employers, where specialist experience or security clearance may be required, could help to explain the smaller share of entry-level positions.

Across the engineering disciplines analysed, environmental and sustainability engineering offered the greatest proportion of entry-level opportunities, at 16%.

Alastair Morris, Managing Director at Accu, said: “Giving more young people the opportunity to study engineering and manufacturing in school is a positive step, but education is only one part of the equation. Our research found that, on average, just 9% of engineering vacancies advertised over the past year were aimed at entry-level candidates, despite overall demand for engineers increasing significantly.

“If the UK is serious about tackling its engineering skills shortage, businesses need to continue investing in apprenticeships, graduate schemes and junior engineering roles. Without those first opportunities, it's much harder for young people to gain the practical experience needed to develop into the highly skilled engineers that the industry depends on.

“AI will undoubtedly become an increasingly valuable tool for engineers. However, it shouldn't replace the learning process. Engineering is a profession built on hands-on experience, problem-solving and mentorship, and those skills are developed by working alongside experienced engineers. If entry-level opportunities begin to disappear in favour of automation, the industry risks creating a long-term skills gap where there are fewer experienced engineers available in the future.”