UK space sector enters orbit with a 250 per cent increase in registered jobs year on year
The UK's space industry is fast climbing into orbit with a huge leap in the number of jobs being advertised by recruiters.
The sector has seen a 250 per cent jump in registered jobs in the first quarter of 2016, compared to the year before, according to specialist recruiters Huxley Engineering.
Huxley reckons the space sector in the UK will be looking to fill an additional 100,000 skilled jobs by 2030.
The industry has been set a target of capturing 10 per cent of the global space sector market share by 2030 by the Space Innovation and Growth Strategy.
Tom Kelly, contract team manager at Huxley, said:
It’s essential that we have a strategy to attract industry leading UK based candidates with transferable skills and also the best UK talent currently in Europe working with the European Space Agency. Although, candidates may not have recent space sector specific experience, the niche skills they have acquired over their many years may give them a distinct advantage when entering the space.
Earlier this year The European Space Agency (ESA) had its budget for the year increased by 18.4 per cent to €5.25bn (£4.19bn) due to higher contributions by several member governments and increased investment by the European Commission.
The UK's ESA contribution increased 34 per cent between 2012 and 2015, to £257m and has invested mainly in the commercially promising telecommunications and Earth observation fields.
Kelly continued: “If you’re currently working in systems engineering, product assurance, project management, electrical or mechanical design, test/validation, software, or hardware then demand for these positions in the space industry has never been higher.”
“With steep growth targets, the government’s ring-fence on spending in science and funding from the European Space Agency, coupled with the innovative fast-paced UK technology sector, the UK space sector is entering an unprecedented era.”
“Looking at the projections of the industry, the high quality of roles being offered and the number of projects coming online, the future of the space sector will have a positive outcome for not only applicants but for companies, complementary products and services and the global mission of space exploration.”