The technical skills shortage is a growing concern, with initiatives such as Network Rail’s Control Period 7 (CP7) highlighting critical gaps in the workforce. With £44 billion allocated to maintaining and improving the UK’s rail network from 2024 to 2029, CP7 is crucial for delivering safer, more reliable infrastructure. However, the success of these projects depends heavily on access to skilled professionals, and the workforce is struggling to keep up with demand.
Recruitment Challenges
CP7 is facing significant hurdles due to skills shortages across engineering, telecoms, and M&E sectors:
- Many roles remain unfilled, especially in civil engineering, signalling, and electrical systems, where highly specialised expertise is essential.
- Retirements from an ageing workforce are resulting in a loss of valuable experience, creating a substantial void in critical areas.
- There is a lack of early career talent, as limited graduate schemes and apprenticeships have left fewer people entering the industry.
- Demand for skilled professionals continues to outstrip supply, driving intense competition for talent.
- Following an overspend in CP6, we’ve observed many projects being scaled back or cancelled due to funding constraints. This has resulted in fewer work opportunities for specialists, prompting many engineers to either move or consider moving abroad, deepening the talent shortage in an industry already struggling to retain skilled professionals.
What’s Causing the Shortage?
The skills gap stems from years of underinvestment in training and development, combined with inadequate promotion of rail careers to younger generations. Projects have become increasingly complex, requiring advanced expertise that is difficult to find, making the problem even harder to address.
Can It Be Fixed?
Solving these challenges will require:
- Upskilling the current workforce to fill immediate gaps and adapt to evolving project requirements.
- Strengthening apprenticeship and graduate pipelines to create sustainable talent pools for the future.
- Better workforce planning to anticipate and address future recruitment needs.
- Partnering with specialist recruiters to identify and secure talent efficiently.
How CITILINE Can Help
CITILINE offers specialist recruitment solutions tailored to the telecoms and M&E sectors, helping businesses secure the skilled professionals needed for CP7. From sourcing technical experts for immediate projects to supporting long-term workforce planning, we are committed to bridging the skills gap and driving success across the rail industry. Find out how we can support your workforce strategy during CP7, here.