Engineering Talent in the East of England: The Sizewell C Effect

A once-in-a-generation project, Sizewell C (SCZ) will be one of the largest infrastructure and energy developments in the UK. Backed by government and private investment, construction is expected to run for more than a decade, employing up to 10,000 people at peak. Around a third of these roles are pledged to be filled locally, creating an unprecedented pull on engineering and technical skills across Suffolk, Norfolk, Essex, and Cambridgeshire.

How this will affect your business

Competition for skilled engineers will intensify. Mechanical, electrical, and control engineers — along with project managers, health and safety staff, and quality specialists — are already being courted by SZC contractors.
Expect:

• Rising pay rates and counter-offers
• Longer lead times to fill vacancies
• More movement among experienced engineers, even from unrelated industries

Even if your business isn’t directly linked to Sizewell C, you’ll feel the ripple effects as skilled labour becomes scarcer.

Retention will get harder. With higher wages and long-term contracts on offer, employees may be tempted to move. Employers who rely on steady, multi-skilled engineers — especially in manufacturing, processing, or utilities — are at risk of losing key staff.

What helps:

• Clear development pathways and pay transparency
• Flexible work patterns or shift premiums
• Training and certification support to keep staff engaged and progressing

Supply chains will stretch. Tier-2 and tier-3 contractors are already gearing up to support SZC, which will push up demand for fabrication, machining, civils, logistics, and specialist trades. Suppliers may find themselves balancing existing contracts against lucrative new work linked to the project. Review your resource planning and consider how you’ll maintain delivery as labour markets tighten.

Roles & Skill Areas in Demand

• Engineering & construction: civil/structural, mechanical, electrical, instrumentation & control. Example job listings: site engineer, senior engineer, assurance lead mechanical.
• Project controls / programme management: project manager, programme manager, data/controls roles.
• Procurement & supply-chain: roles such as procurement manager, supply-chain assistant/data analyst.
• Enablement/ops roles: enabling works, logistics, site agents, machine operators (for early phase civils) – reflecting groundwork and ramp-up.
• Apprenticeships / early careers: There’s a push to build local talent from school leavers and apprentices in Suffolk & Norfolk.

Regional Impact in the East of England

• SZC has committed that c.2,600 roles will come from East Anglia.
• Supply-chain & procurement activity is being routed via regional platforms
• Broader impact on the regional engineering talent pool: demand is going up not only for direct site roles but for pre-construction, logistics, support functions in the region.

What employers can do now

Audit your workforce risk – Identify critical engineering roles, assess which staff might be most mobile, and plan contingencies.

Engage early with training providers – Colleges in Suffolk and Norfolk are launching energy-focused and nuclear-readiness programmes. Partnering now will help you access trainees before the market peaks.

Review pay and progression -Benchmark your salaries and job titles against regional averages — a proactive pay review is cheaper than a reactive replacement.

Invest in retention – Retention bonuses, upskilling, and visible career paths can be more cost-effective than constant recruitment.

Review recruitment partners – Old ways of sourcing candidates will no longer work, adverts will be ineffective and every candidate will have multiple options available to them. Recruitment partners should be able to go beyond advertising and Linkedin sourcing to demonstrate their ability to proactively curate and nuture candidate networks that give hirers first mover advantage when they do become available.

The bigger picture

Sizewell C is a positive story for the East: investment, skills development, and infrastructure growth. But it will also tighten the talent market for every employer who relies on engineers.
Those who plan ahead, protecting and developing their existing teams, will be best placed to ride the wave rather than be swamped by it.