Engineering Recruitment | Employers

about ata recruitment

ATA Recruitment is far more than just an engineering recruitment agency. As part of the RTC Group, we have resources and capabilities above-and-beyond many of our competitors. Working as a recruitment partner to several of the largest businesses in the UK, ATA has a proven track record of placements across engineering and manufacturing. Our processes are designed to add real value to our clients, and to make the job searching experience as easy as possible for our candidates.

Our engineering recruitment services

Permanent Recruitment

ATA's permanent recruitment processes help you to find the best talent for your business and are backed up by our market-leading 2 year guarantee.

Contract Recruitment

As well as compliant contract recruitment, we provide payroll solutions and a unique IR35 assessment service designed to protect our clients and contractors.

Executive Search

Our executive search service is completely tailored to the needs of your business. Added extras include advanced screening processes and psychometric testing.

Why ATA Recruitment

Choosing the right engineering recruitment agency for your business can be a tough task in a busy market, so we want to make it as easy as possible. Alongside our 50 years of experience, there are a number of reasons to use ATA as your recruitment partner. We've outlined a few of them below.

1

Network
2

Processes
3

Service
4

Market Knowledge
5

Transparency
6

Effectiveness

Network

Clean and compliant data is at the heart of what we do and our internal database of over 40,000 relevant and engaged engineers gives our clients access to high-quality candidates not available on job boards.

Processes

Everything we do is designed for quality over quantity and our thorough recruitment processes enable us to find out much more than what's on a CV. Once we've completed our interview and screening process, you will receive a concise shortlist of only the best talent.

Service

We pride ourselves on a truly personal service. You will have a dedicated Recruitment Consultant with a clear understanding of your business and the market you operate in, enabling you to hire engineers efficiently.

Market Knowledge

We have worked solely in the engineering market for over 50 years and maintain a consistent knowledge of the latest trends, projects and technology. Using our own data, we've produced engineering salary reports and infographics to add value to our clients during their recruitment process.

Transparency

Unlike many other recruiters, you won't need to chase us. We provide regular updates during the recruitment process and we're completely transparent about progress.

Effectiveness

We don't bombard you with candidates - the CVs you receive will have been subject to our vigorous recruitment processes beforehand. Every two submissions to our clients result in an interview.

Our engineering recruitment EXpertise

2 Year Guarantee

Nothing we do at ATA is standard, and that includes our extended recruitment guarantee. The ATA Recruitment guarantee enables you to hire engineers with confidence in the knowledge that your recruitment partner has a vested interest in your success.

Before 8 Weeks

We work hard to identify and eliminate any risks during the recruitment processes, but if the unexpected was to happen, we’ve got you covered. We provide a completely free replacement or full refund if your new employee leaves within 8 weeks.

After 8 Weeks

If your new employee leaves after the first 8 weeks, most engineering recruitment agencies would offer a half price replacement up to 12 weeks. At ATA, we do things better. We will cover you with a half price replacement up to 2 years after employment.

Eligibility

Every permanent placement made at our standard fee is eligible for our 2 year guarantee. All other permanent placements will only be eligible for the half price replacement until 12 weeks.

engineering businesses we work with

engineering Case Studies

Fast delivery of experienced contractors for FMCG manufacturer - Case Study

A large FMCG manufacturing business were planning to recruit two permanent engineers in their maintenance department but due to the Covid-19 pandemic, the vacancies were put on hold. The maintenance department was under pressure and under resourced, so ATA Recruitment offered a contract option as a viable solution and the client was able to have two engineers start within the week. Our SolutionAfter speaking with the client about their requirements, ATA Recruitment sent over a selection of suitable candidates and two were selected, all within a 48-hour timeframe. The two experienced engineers were able to start within days. One of the maintenance engineers was a vastly experienced contractor and was able to hit the ground running and the other was willing to work on a contract basis and was also interested in staying with the business permanently when the permanent roles get signed off again. Value AddedDue to our extensive database of experienced and skilled engineers who have already been pre-interviewed, we were able to provide our client with a fast turn-around while delivering the exact type of candidates that they had in mind.Client Feedback“We have typically used ATA Recruitment to resource permanent engineers for our maintenance department but have had significant success in finding maintenance engineers on a contract basis. The ability of ATA to find contract maintenance quickly and who have been available almost immediately has really helped us out.” Maintenance Manager, FMCG Manufacturing If you would like to know more about ATA Recruitment or would like more information on how we can support your business, get in touch with us by completing the form below.

Ata Recruitment Executive Search Case Study

Operations Director for a UK manufacturer of process pumps Case Study

The Brief The client manufactures process pumps and systems for the oil, gas, water and chemical process sectors across the UK. In order to improve operational KPIs and grow the business, they needed to recruit an Operations Director. This was a business-critical role that required a retained search service.The SolutionATA met with the client to gain a thorough understanding of the current business challenges and the objectives for the future. Following this, we identified the competencies and behaviours of the ideal candidate and created a full job description and specification. ATA’s recruitment plan outlined the brief, expectations and timescales of the project, providing the client with complete transparency of the executive search process.Following a headhunting campaign across competing businesses, we met face-to-face with candidates, Including a technical and commercial assessment.We asked candidates to present us with their plans for the first 30, 60 and 90 days in the role, and to outline why they are the right fit for the business. All of this took place before the client conducted their interviews – ensuring they receive a concise shortlist of the best talent.The ResultSince the search assignment was completed and the successful candidate joined the business, the client have been able to increase their staff retention and improve their operational KPIs.ATA now work as a preferred recruitment supplier to the client across both permanent and contract, and we have gone on to recruit some of their key management team, including a Managing Director for their European operation.ATA Recruitment fully briefs themselves on our company and the specific vacancies which results in very strong shortlist of candidates who closely match our requirements which in turn leads to successful placements.-Human Resources Manager

Recticel Case Study

Recticel Flexible Foams provide durable solutions for a wide variety of customer needs in areas such as silencing, sealing, filtering and comforting. Recticel needed assistance in hiring an interim Operations Manager for their site in Corby and had already interviewed several candidates to no avail through other recruiters.The position was business-critical, and it was imperative to find the right candidate for the job in a timely manner.The SolutionWe visited the Recticel site in Alfreton and met with the Operations Director to gain a real understanding of the business and its requirements in a new interim Operations Manager for their Corby site. A tight brief was identified, with the candidate requiring high-volume manufacturing experience amongst several other specific skills and attributes, something other recruitment businesses had been failing to meet.Beyond just a CV match, we work hard to identify personal attributes and alignment with company values. Using our extensive network of engineers, we identified a great match who was interviewed twice and offered the role within 2 weeks.The ResultIn hiring an interim Operations Manager, Recticel were able to ensure smooth running of their Corby site. We have since gone on to recruit their Head of UK Operations, the Head of Health & Safety as well as Operations Managers for 2 of the UK Converting plants and other members of the Operations Teams. Supporting Recticel in their recruitment of senior management helped them to run the business and operate with minimal disruption to the day-to-day.

Knapp Case Study

38 hires with Knapp, including Maintenance Engineers, Team Leaders and Site Managers. After initially recruiting at just one site, we have since placed across multiple UK locations including Burton, Somerset and Brighton. Knapp are specialists in automation technology for logistics and production, and we began working with the business in 2018. With the absence of an internal recruitment team, Knapp needed an engineering specialist that understood the marketplace and had an established network of engineering candidates. Like many engineering businesses, Knapp were trying to recruit within a very competitive market and needed help in attracting and retaining the right talent ahead of the competition.The SolutionOur work with Knapp started with a site visit for us to develop a real understanding of their goals and challenges, as well as a first-hand account of what the candidates will be doing technically. In doing this, we were able to pass this knowledge on to candidates and find engineers that were not just capable of doing the job but were also a long-term fit for the business.Assigned a dedicated Account Manager, Knapp have one point of contact within ATA Recruitment who knows their business inside-out, building a strong rapport with Hiring Managers and streamlining the communication and recruitment processes. Our 4 offices throughout the UK has allowed us to support Knapp across many of their sites and add value through local knowledge of the area and the marketplace.The ResultWe have made 38 hires with Knapp, including Maintenance Engineers, Team Leaders and Site Managers. After initially recruiting at just one Knapp site, we have since placed across multiple throughout the UK including Burton, Somerset and Bradford. Our ability to manage and support high volume recruitment throughout several locations has resulted in preferred supplier status with Knapp, and we continue to make regular hires with the business.Through ATA Recruitment’s support, Knapp has been able to ensure that the right engineers are on hand to maintain and repair their machinery, allowing the business to run with as little disruption as possible.

View all case studies

What our employers say

Zeppelin have worked with ATA recruitment for over 10 years. The service has always been good and we have filled positions with people of the right calibre and attitude. Our key contacts at ATA are friendly, knowledgeable and efficient and a pleasure to work with.

Zeppelin Systems

Managing Director

Contact us

We understand that every engineering recruitment agency will describe itself as 'different', but we want to prove it. To discuss our effective processes, or to find out more about what we do and how we can help your business, contact us below.

Engineering News & Insights

Stress Awareness Month 2021

April marks the start of Stress Awareness Month 2021, and the theme this year is ‘Regaining Connectivity, Certainty and Control’.Stress Awareness Month raises awareness of stress and the way in which it is damaging the health of people across the globe. High levels of stress can be extremely detrimental to our mental health, often leading to anxiety and depression. Likewise, many people do not realise the impact stress can have on our physical health too. Heart disease, insomnia and digestive problems are just a few of the physical conditions that can be linked to high stress levels. As such, it's critical that we take the time during this national awareness month to look at how we can manage our stress levels.12 months on from the first national lockdown, it is said that 74% of UK adults have felt so stressed at some point over the last year they felt overwhelmed or unable to cope (Mental Health Foundation).This could be due to a number of factors:Worries around health and contracting COVID-19Concerns over job stabilityLack of satisfaction in personal life due to social restrictionsIncreased workload due to organisational changesBelow are 3 tips on how you can manage your work-related stress during Stress Awareness Month and beyond.How to manage work-related stress1. Communicate with your employerPeople working from home may be experiencing a lack of connectivity with their employers when it comes to workloads and occupational wellbeing.Despite how quickly many employers have adapted to remote working, your line manager may not be as aware of how well you’re coping with work-related stress. Whereas before it was easy to check in across the office, now it may not be the case.It’s important that you are open and honest regarding your workload and how you are coping so your manager can help reduce any work-related stress. Likewise, if you have a problem you are struggling to overcome, use the technology provided to you (MS Teams, email, over the phone) to speak to the appropriate person(s) and not suffer in silence.2. Keep work time and personal time separateAs we mentioned in our article ‘how to effectively work from home’, try not to extend your workday too far over what you planned, as this might lead to burning yourself out and starting to see your home environment as a stressful place. Keeping work time and personal time separate should make you less stressed when you aren’t working.3. Take part in the 30 Day Challenge ‘Regaining Connectivity, Certainty and Control’To help combat the effects of stress, the Stress Management Society have introduced a 30 day challenge: Pick one action each for your Physical, Mental and Emotional Wellbeing to carry out every day. It is said that is takes 30 days to turn an action into a habit. So the objective is at the end of April, any actions you have started during the challenge that are aiding your stress levels, you will easily be able to incorporate into your daily routine.For more information on how to take part in the challenge, visit the Stress Management Society website here.

ATA Recruitment continue to support Rainbows in 2021

ATA Recruitment have chosen to support local charity Rainbows Hospice for Children and Young People for the 5th year running Rainbows provides specialist respite, palliative and end of life care to children and young people with life limiting or life-threatening conditions and support to their families and friends. Based in the East Midlands, Rainbows is the only support function of this kind in the region, making it an essential lifeline to the community. We have raised over £8,000 for Rainbows in the past 4 years. Whilst the pandemic has slowed us down in regard to fundraising events, we have got many activities planned for 2021. From quiz nights over MS Teams to team bike rides on Strava, we are prepared to do all we can, even if it has to be done virtually. As part of our Being Socially Responsible strategy, we are looking to do more than just raise money. New starters that join ATA Recruitment will learn about Rainbows in their company induction alongside our own core values, showing them exactly why we have chosen to continue to support them as our primary charity. Likewise, all ATA recruitment employees are provided with 2 days paid volunteering leave that they are encouraged to use. Whilst each employee can use this time in a variety of different areas, we will provide our staff with ideas and inspiration of how they can use this time to benefit Rainbows should they wish to. We will be using our business expertise to offer various resources to Rainbows free of charge, such as our online instant video platform, ATA Connect, that they can use for any internal recruitment during the pandemic and beyond. Our specialist team will also be providing interview training, as well as writing and posting job adverts for the charity to support them with their internal recruitment. We will continue to keep you updated on our fundraising activities via our ATA Recruitment blog and social media channels. In the meantime, please share and support our cause by donating to our Just Giving account if you are able.

How To Make A Great First Impression On A Recruiter

How to make a great first impression on a recruiterIn my role as Talent Acquisition Manager and after years of working within the recruitment sector, I have seen a lot of job applications! I never want to miss out on a potentially fantastic candidate, so I always ensure I review every application sent to me. Due to the popularity of the recruitment sector, the number of applications I receive is usually in the hundreds. This makes it near impossible to pick up the phone and speak to every single person who has applied. Because of such a high number of applications, I use a ranking system which allows me to identify the most suitable candidates to contact first. As a rule, I am a firm believer that a CV does not always do a candidate justice. A piece of paper can never fully represent a person, their achievements, their personality or their ambition. However, here are a few CV tips that will ensure your application stands out from the crowd and that you are at the top of a (probably very long!) call list:A cover letter; A short cover letter highlighting the key achievements in your CV that make you suitable for the position you are interested in will go a long way. You are showing the Hiring Manager that you are keen on the position and making the effort to pitch yourself. Where possible look for a direct email address as this will ensure your application goes straight to their inbox and you will get noticed. Try and avoid using a generic cover letter; make the company feel like you want to work for them specifically.Target your application; There is nothing wrong with applying for roles in multiple sectors, this is your job search and you should explore your options. If you are unsure about which direction you want to take, you should tailor your CV to each specific sector. This also allows you to highlight the key skills you have that are relevant to that sector alone, meaning you will have more of a chance of attracting the attention of the person reading it.Be clear and concise; Try to keep your CV to a maximum of two pages. Take out any irrelevant information and use bullet points where appropriate to condense the information you are providing. Ensure your most recent work experience is listed at the top of your CV and your academic achievements and contact details are clearly visible. People often over complicate their CV. Make it as easy as possible for us to understand your background and why you are right for the role we are advertising.Spelling, punctuation and grammar checks; It sounds obvious, however so many people do not give their covering letters and CV’s a thorough check before applying for a job. In this day and age you can avoid many of these mistakes by using spellchecker which will highlight and change any grammatical errors. First impressions count, so make sure something as small as this doesn’t make you stand out for the wrong reasons. Use our CV help and cover letter advice to get yourself noticed – and one step closer to the job of your dreams!Due to growth, we have a number of Recruitment Consultant jobs in both Leeds and Leicester. We are keen to speak to ambitious individuals. Whether you are a recruitment novice or an experienced recruitment professional, we could have the exciting new role you have been waiting for.For a confidential conversation about what we offer, get in touch today! Either call me directly on 07920 595 229 or send your CV to rachael.bailey-frost@ata-recruitment.co.uk.

Annual Regional Maintenance Salary Report 2020

ATA Recruitment's Annual Regional Maintenance Salary Report 2020 is available to downloadWith over 50 years experience in the provision of recruitment solutions for manufacturing and engineering, ATA Recruitment have established themselves as market leaders. Not only do we pride ourselves and providing a quality service, but we like to share our market expertise with you too.You may have already seen our permanent salary survey report detailing the average salaries offered to our candidates in 2020. The recruitment of Maintenance Engineers across the UK is a huge proportion of what we do, so we thought we would give you a more detailed breakdown of the market.2020 was a challenging year for everyone due to the pandemic and economic uncertainty caused by it. However, the need to attract and retain good quality Maintenance Engineers is still an ongoing challenge for our customers.We continue to see a widening skills gap in the market, and the rapid growth of markets such as automated distribution has seen companies constantly reviewing and increasing their salaries in an effort to remain competitive.The data we have collected has come from a large cross section of the market for both SME’s and large blue chips in industries such as:FoodAutomated DistributionConstruction MaterialsFMCGGeneral Manufacturing.We hope it gives you a benchmark for where you are in the market, please get in touch to discuss the findings of this report in more detail.Download ATA Recruitment's Annual Regional Maintenance Salary Report 2020Get in touch If you would like to discuss the findings of the report in more detail or if you’re looking for a maintenance recruitment specialist to support your business, get in touch with ATA Recruitment. If you're looking for a new opportunity or want to hear about future positions, sign up to tailored job alerts and our blog to receive more content like this straight in your inbox.

IR35: Important Information for End Hirers

Following the Chancellor's budget announcement, we must now assume that the IR35 reforms in the private sector will continue to go ahead as planned on 6th April 2021, and end hirers need to ensure they are all fully aware of how their responsibilities are changing.What is IR35?IR35 is a piece of legislation designed to tackle what the HMRC have called ‘disguised employment’. Using a number of factors, it aims to differentiate between PSC contractors who are genuinely in business on their own account and those who should be considered employees for tax purposes.What does it mean for you?As of April 2021, it will be the responsibility of the end hirer to assess the employment status for tax purposes of all PSC contractors. In line with the legislation, you are required to take reasonable care in doing so, which means you need to properly assess the status of your contractors, provide a determination, and provide an explanation behind your decision.What should you do now?Time is ticking but there is still time to make sure your business is fully compliant with the changes to the IR35 legislation using the following steps:Assess your workforce. You’ll need to know how many contractors are working through a limited company, where there are, and what they do.Consider your options. There are a number of ways in which you can make your status determinations, including using a third-party provider or utilising the HMRC’s Check Employment Status for Tax (CEST) tool, so you’ll need to decide which one is right for you.Carry out your Status Determination Statements. To get the most accurate assessment on whether or not a contractor should be considered Inside IR35 or Outside IR35, you should be liaising with the contractor themselves and their key points of contact within your business, so communication is key.Pass the Status Determination Statement down the supply chain. Your responsibilities under the legislation require you to pass your decision and the reasoning behind it to all interested parties, namely the contractor and the agency who engages them.Communicate with your supply chain. It’s important to protect yourself by ensuring any recruitment agencies within your supply chain are complying with the decisions you have made and are deducting PAYE Tax and National Insurance Contributions as required.Reassess when needed. You need to assess the IR35 status of PSC contractors any time any element of the worker’s contract or their working practices change. Depending on the nature of their engagement, you will also want to reassess every six to twelve months to ensure you and they are still compliant with the legislation.If you're unsure about any of the above, or require some advice and support on how to assess your contractors, get in touch with our specialist team as soon as possible to ensure you're IR35 compliant.

Annual Executive Engineering Salary Report 2020

The ATA Recruitment's Annual Executive Engineering Salary Report 2020 is available to downloadWith the challenges of COVID-19, Brexit and IR35 still looming, Executive Search and Senior Leadership roles continue to play a key part in business strategies. Companies have taken the opportunity to evaluate their business, headcount, company structure, senior leadership teams and financials. As a result of this, the number of executives available has significantly increased and whilst companies have taken time to reconsider their businesses, candidates alike are also reconsidering their career paths. Candidates are considering positions outside of their core expertise and fully recognise the importance of transferrable skills, creating great opportunities for many businesses to attract new talent.Moving into 2021, leadership roles will continue to play an ever-key role in the direction of businesses and we are already starting to see the demand for expert leaders increasing.A comprehensive report based on real dataWith average salaries and and expert commentary from our specialist consultants and managerial team, we have compiled the Annual Executive Engineering Salary Report 2020 based on the executive and senior level placements made throughout the past 12 months.Download the ATA Annual Executive Engineering Salary Report 2020The report will open in a secure PDF format that you can either view online (web and mobile) and save for future reference. Simply fill in the form below to download.Get in touchIf you would like to discuss the findings of the report in more detail or if you’re looking for an executive recruitment specialist to support your business, get in touch with ATA Recruitment. If you're looking for a new opportunity or want to hear about future senior and management positions, sign up to tailored job alerts and our blog to receive more content like this straight in your inbox.

Annual Contractor Rates Report 2020

The ATA Annual Contractor Rates Report 2020 is now available to downloadThe past 12 months have been an unpredictable time for employers and candidates alike. Many employers have reassessed their recruitment strategies, as the effects of COVID-19, mass furlough and multiple lockdowns continue to have a huge impact on day-to-day operations. Whilst those that can have been quick to adapt and implement a COVID-19 secure workplace, the knock on effects of the choppy economic waters we have seen over the past 12 months are impossible to ignore.As companies have started to return close to normal, we have seen a real upturn in the requirement for contractors and temporary engineers. Having spoken to our clients, there are several reasons for this rapid increase in the need for contractors and temporary staff: Clients have reduced their headcount and as orders have increased, they have needed to upscale quickly, contractors & temporary workers have allowed them to do thisSeveral businesses are still uncertain about the future and would prefer a flexible skilled resource at this time as they return to normalIn certain sectors like food and logistics, the demand for permanent engineers is high. When this demand can’t be met quickly enough, contractors and temporary maintenance engineers have provided an excellent short-term solutionWith average contractor rates and and expert commentary from our specialist consultants and managerial team, we have compiled the Annual Contractor Rates Report 2020 based on the thousands of placements made throughout the past 12 months. Covering the following disciplines, we have answered some of the most common questions we get asked, as well as providing you with the quantitative data from salary trends:ManufacturingEngineeringInterim & Shared ServicesDownload the ATA Annual Contractor Rates Report 2020The report will open in a secure PDF format that you can either view online (web and mobile) and save for future reference. Simply fill in the form below to download.Get in touchIf you would like to discuss the findings of the report in more detail or if you’re looking for an engineering recruitment specialist to support your business, get in touch with ATA Recruitment. If you're looking for a job or want to hear about future opportunities, sign up to tailored job alerts and our blog to receive more content like this straight in your inbox.

Annual Engineering Salary Report 2020

Now in it's 4th year, ATA Recruitment's Annual Engineering Salary Report 2020 is available to downloadThe past 12 months have been an unpredictable time for employers and candidates alike. Many employers have reassessed their recruitment strategies, as the effects of COVID-19, mass furlough and multiple lockdowns continue to have a huge impact on day-to-day operations. Whilst those that can have been quick to adapt and implement a COVID-19 secure workplace, the knock on effects of the choppy economic waters we have seen over the past 12 months are impossible to ignore. Likewise, the attitudes of candidates have changed, with many considering new career opportunities thanks to the shift from office based to remote working, amongst various other factors. In a survey we conducted at the end of last year, we found that 64% of those who are looking for work are currently employed, showing that now is not the time for complacency from employers when it comes to staff retention. With all this uncertainty and the undeniable shift in the employment landscape, we are providing employers with a benchmark of where you sit in the market - ensuring your recruitment strategy is based on first hand research and up to date statistics from across the UK. For candidates, we are giving you the insights into the average salary of dozens of roles across various engineering disciplines, helping you make an informed decision should you be considering a career change in 2021.A comprehensive report based on real dataWith average salaries and and expert commentary from our specialist consultants and managerial team, we have compiled the Annual Engineering Salary Report 2020 based on the thousands of placements made throughout the past 12 months. Covering the following disciplines, we have answered some of the most common questions we get asked, as well as providing you with the quantitative data from salary trends:Maintenance & ServiceQuality & Manufacturing Design & ProjectsTechnical SalesExecutive Download the ATA Annual Engineering Salary Report 2020The report will open in a secure PDF format that you can either view online (web and mobile) and save for future reference. Simply fill in the form below to download.Get in touchIf you would like to discuss the findings of the report in more detail or if you’re looking for an engineering recruitment specialist to support your business, get in touch with ATA Recruitment. If you're looking for a job or want to hear about future opportunities, sign up to tailored job alerts and our blog to receive more content like this straight in your inbox.

Candidate Survey 2020 - A New Landscape in Recruitment

2020 has been a challenging year for both employers and employees alike Many companies have been faced with the unenviable task of furloughing members of their staff or making redundancies in an effort to navigate these choppy economic waters. Whilst doing so, how many employers are really thinking about the needs of their staff? Do they feel valued, developed or paid enough? Do they feel like their employers have communicated well with them through these uncertain times? With over 45,000 engineers in our database from the last 5 years, we have surveyed a cross section of engineers from a variety of industries such as Food, Automotive, FMCG and Aerospace. The consensus makes interesting reading: 71% of those surveyed are still in work Of the 29% that are out of work, 68% is due to COVID -1959% felt that their company had communicated well or very well through the pandemic, 20% felt that the communication has been poor 64% are looking for a new role, of which 54% are still in work Of that 64%, 27% are looking to move due to a lack of progression and training and 50% are due to environmental factors including, salary and benefits, shifts, travel 45% who have applied directly to employers feel that their recruitment experience has been positive, whilst 29% rated it average and 25% said it was poor 45% feel their mental health has been affected by the pandemic As we move into 2021 and hopefully a return to normal, it is worth asking yourself the following questions as an employer Are you doing enough to retain your staff? Do they feel engaged? Is the flow of communication good enough? Or are you about to see your attrition rate increase as market confidence increases? A company is only as strong as the people it employs, so is it worth running your own survey? If you need support or advice, we’d be happy to help, we could even design a survey for you. We will also be releasing our annual Salary Survey in January 2021, which will convey data gathered from all the permanent and contract placements we have made throughout 2020. This extensive report, together with the feedback from candidates and their employment plans as the year draws to a close, ATA Recruitment hold the knowledge and expertise to ensure you're ready to face the growing concern of staff retention.

Stress Awareness Month 2021

ATA Recruitment continue to support Rainbows in 2021

How To Make A Great First Impression On A Recruiter

Annual Regional Maintenance Salary Report 2020

IR35: Important Information for End Hirers

Annual Executive Engineering Salary Report 2020

Annual Contractor Rates Report 2020

Annual Engineering Salary Report 2020

Candidate Survey 2020 - A New Landscape in Recruitment

Stress Awareness Month 2021

ATA Recruitment continue to support Rainbows in 2021

How To Make A Great First Impression On A Recruiter

Annual Regional Maintenance Salary Report 2020

IR35: Important Information for End Hirers

Annual Executive Engineering Salary Report 2020

Annual Contractor Rates Report 2020

Annual Engineering Salary Report 2020

Candidate Survey 2020 - A New Landscape in Recruitment

How To Make A Great First Impression On A Recruiter

Annual Engineering Salary Report 2019

Due to the outbreak of COVID-19, many companies will be reassessing their recruitment strategies and likewise, candidates will be thinking about career opportunities. ATA Recruitment has developed a salary report based on data gathered from all the candidates we have placed over the last year, providing a holistic picture of the average salaries across different disciplines within the engineering and manufacturing sectors. During these challenging times, we understand our clients will be aligning their budgets to future resource planning requirements, and we are often asked what the average salary is for roles within the engineering and manufacturing industry. We also understand our candidates may be wondering whether it's the right time to change their job or if their salary is above or below the average. Average Engineering Salary ReportUsing our data from thousands of placements made in 2019, we decided to publish this report to coincide with the end of the financial year to help our clients with their resource planning. We answer some of the most common questions, including the average salaries across the following disciplines: Maintenance, Quality and Manufacturing, Design and Projects, Technical Sales and Management. So whether you’re advertising a single job or recruiting in high volumes, it’s important to know what salary to offer.ATA Recruitment has been supporting the growth of the engineering and manufacturing sectors for over 50 years. Over this time we have developed a thorough knowledge of the marketplace through both experience and data analysis, helping our clients find the best talent suited to their business needs. As well as insights within this report, ATA Recruitment can also provide tailored expertise and regional knowledge to both our clients and candidates during these challenging times.Download the salary reportThe report will open in a secure PDF format that you can either view online (web and mobile) and save for future reference. Simply fill in the brief form below to download.Get in touch If you would like to discuss the findings of the report in more detail or if you’re looking for an engineering recruitment specialist to support your business, please get in touch with ATA Recruitment. If you're looking for a job or want to hear about future opportunities, sign up to tailored job alerts and our blog to receive more content like this straight in your inbox.

Stress Awareness Month 2021

ATA Recruitment continue to support Rainbows in 2021

How To Make A Great First Impression On A Recruiter

Annual Regional Maintenance Salary Report 2020

IR35: Important Information for End Hirers

Annual Executive Engineering Salary Report 2020

Annual Contractor Rates Report 2020

Annual Engineering Salary Report 2020

Candidate Survey 2020 - A New Landscape in Recruitment

Annual Regional Maintenance Salary Report 2020

Combatting COVID-19 - We Can Keep You Moving

You’re likely facing a few months of uncertainty around hiring. Frustratingly, it feels like a long time to press pause on processes you've worked so hard to mature. For that reason we've taken measures to make sure you’re in a strong position, both during the pandemic and when COVID-19 passes.On average, a talent pipeline takes 2-4 months to mature. This means we run the risk of turning a 3-month problem into a 12+ month problem if we take drastic measures and press stop. But we can’t simply carry on as normal either. We must find a way to slow down your process enough to cope with the change, whilst maintaining momentum with candidates to support your hiring plans for the remainder of the year.Our new instant video technologyIn line with our commitment to deliver excellence to our clients, we have launched our innovative instant video platform, ATA Connect.The video software is designed specifically for the screening and interview process to keep your pipeline of talent moving. Offering our clients increased reach, greater flexibility and hiring efficiencies during these challenging times.We understand that every business requires different levels of support when it comes to recruitment. So, whether you need help with part of your recruitment process or all of it, our flexible solution allows you to select the parts that are most suited to your current needs.Record interviews and involve decision makersThis technology, which is the most streamlined available on the market, allows us to provide recorded live interviews between our recruiters and candidates. We can also now involve your hiring managers in the process too. These interviews can then be shared with any decision makers in your business, without the need for diary co-ordination. You will be able to give and view feedback instantly, allowing you to collaborate in a cohesive way over identical questions and responses.Increased reach and easy to useWe’ve chosen a specialist provider that allows interviews to take place on laptop, tablet and mobile devices in low bandwidth situations, giving us access to even the most remote candidates. The tech requires no downloads, registrations, or dedicated logins, ensuring candidates with any level of technical ability can take part. We simply send a link, which they click once, and they’re ready to go.Improved screening processWe have the ability to record one-way interviews of candidates. This means that you can give us written questions that display one at a time to the interviewee, allowing them to record the answers to the questions on their own and submit the video back to you.Easy to access and reviewWe can present the videos back to you in an interactive shortlist page which gives you full visibility of everyone in the process. These pages have commenting functions for each candidate shortlisted, as well as a document viewer that can hold up to five supporting attachments, such as a CV, certificates or proof of eligibility to work in the UK. All of this means you retain complete control throughout, even during this time of unforeseen disruption.Get in touchIf you would like to find out how we can keep your pipeline of talent moving or want to simply discuss your current recruitment challenges, please get in touch using the contact form below.

3 Top Tips for Maintenance Job Interviews

Whether you’re a Maintenance Engineer that has an interview lined up, or you’re just starting applying for jobs and want to prepare early, this blog is for you. Our Maintenance Recruitment Manager, James Campbell, has compiled a list of the 3 most important interview tips that are sure to give you an advantage during your maintenance job search.We’ve placed thousands of maintenance engineers into jobs, and in that time have perfected the art of great interview advice. Through our conversations with our clients, we know what they want to see, and we’re passing this knowledge directly on to you.1. Use explanations and examplesWhen you’re nervous, it’s natural and probably easier to be vague in an interview, but you need to avoid this to increase your chances of success. If asked a question, try to always draw on a specific example of where you’ve done a great job. It’s common in maintenance interviews to be asked how you do your job - again, be specific with your explanations. Too much information is better than none at all. Review the job description for the role you’re interviewing for so you’re fully aware of what the role requires. This will help you to pin-point which real-life examples to use. 2. Demonstrate your methods of safe workSafety is paramount in any manufacturing or maintenance environment, and you need to demonstrate that not only do you understand the importance of safety, but that your methods of work are safe. If asked about safe work, refer to points such as how you would isolate a power supply, how you would tag and lock off to ensure that the machine is safe and no harm can come to you or anybody else. 3. Don't undersell yourselfYou only get one chance to make a great impression in a job interview, and modesty isn’t going to help you to stand out. There’s a fine line between confidence and arrogance, but if you can strike a balance, you’re in with a much better chance. Ensure you demonstrate your technical skills and safety knowledge, you don’t want the interviewer to have any doubts that you’re the best person for the job.Conclusion When combined with great preparation such as researching the company and planning your journey, the above tips will help you to ace your next engineering job interview. Remember to also do some research on typical engineering interview questions and remember to take your certifications, identification and reference details with you. Jobs in maintenanceWe have hundreds of jobs in engineering and maintenance, across a number of locations and shift patterns. Whether you’re mechanically or electrically biased, or a budding controls engineer, we have a variety of roles across the automation, automotive, chemical, production and FMCG sectors. We work with some of the biggest names across the manufacturing sector in the UK who are constantly on the lookout for talented maintenance engineers to join their teams. To browse our latest maintenance jobs and find your next exciting opportunity, click the button below.VIEW JOBS

Engineering Recruitment: What Attracts Maintenance Engineers?

Whether you’re a Hiring Manager already actively recruiting Maintenance Engineers, or planning ahead and preparing your engineering recruitment strategy, this blog is for you. We’ve spoken to our Maintenance Engineers and asked the question – other than salary, what attracts you to a maintenance job? Keep reading to find out the answer.The engineering skills shortage in the UK is having a real impact on businesses and their ability to recruit talented engineers. We see first-hand the effect this has on the maintenance market and the increasing salaries used to attract engineering candidates – view our ‘Average Engineering Salaries Report’ for more insight into this. This got us thinking, how else can our clients be competitive aside from a higher salary? What else would attract a Maintenance Engineer considering a new job?The results are in, and our engineers have had their say. The other most important factors in a job search are shift patterns, location and technology – some of which have been stated as more important than a generous salary.Maintenance Shift PatternsIt’s no secret that some maintenance shift patterns can be long and unsociable. Permanent days, permanent nights, panama, and continental are some of the most common. Of those asked, 64% of Maintenance Engineers cited shift patterns as their number one influencing factor when searching for a new job, with 45% of those stating that they would take a lesser salary for better shift patterns.One Maintenance Engineer asked, said: “I enjoy engineering it’s been a hobby since my childhood hence the money is not my key concern. I love the work, I don’t love the hours. Give me an employer with better contractual hours and I’ll take the job for less money.”Most manufacturing environments are 24/7, and there will always be a requirement for staff to cover shifts around the clock. However, these statistics demonstrate the need for greater flexibility where possible. When recruiting Maintenance Engineers, the ability to offer a variety of shift patterns is likely to attract talent ahead of your competition.Working locationOf those asked, 22% of Maintenance Engineers stated that working location is their highest priority, explaining that a lengthy commute would not be an option. When asked specific time frames, 57% stated that a job would need to be within 20 miles of home.One of our engineers responded: “Nobody wants a long journey either side of a 12 hour shift, it’s tiring and you wouldn’t have any time for yourself or your family. I wouldn’t consider a role any further than 45 minutes away from me.”We understand that you can’t change where your site is based, but having an understanding of the attitude towards commute times and working locations will help you to know where to focus your efforts.TechnologyThe remaining 14% of Maintenance Engineers asked stated that working with interesting and exciting technology is a necessity. This isn’t surprising, with most engineers being self-confessed ‘tech geeks’, but what may be surprising is the number of engineers that state it’s their priority when searching for maintenance jobs.One Maintenance Engineer said: “I’ve got to enjoy my job and I’ve got to be interested in the tech and machinery I’m working with, otherwise I’ll quickly get bored.”Even if you’re not necessarily the most innovative company, there’s still an opportunity to highlight the most attractive parts of your technology to engineers during your recruitment campaign.The demand for Maintenance Engineers is so high that employers are increasing salaries by up to 15% to attract the best talent. But in a market where every business is offering the same generous remuneration, it’s important to know what other factors will attract Maintenance Engineers.There are some factors here you can’t change, but knowledge is power. This blog provides you with the information needed to shape your engineering recruitment strategy. Emphasise on the shifts if they’re desirable and try to be flexible if their not, don’t concentrate on locations too far afield and demonstrate your exciting technology to potential candidates.Engineering RecruitmentATA is so much more than just an engineering recruitment agency. Our extensive network of engineers, paired with over 50 years experience within the marketplace, make us the perfect engineering recruitment partner to your business.If you would like to find out more about ATA Recruitment and how we can help your business, including recruiting engineers and our market-leading 2 year guarantee, contact us below.CONTACT US

Average Engineering Salaries in the Midlands Report (2018)

Whether you’re an employer wanting to recruit engineers and gain a better understanding of average engineering salaries, or an engineer just wanting to ensure that your salary is in line with the average, this report is perfect for you. We answer some of the most common questions, including the average Maintenance Engineer salary in the UK. Job roles covered in this report include Electrical Maintenance Engineer, Mechanical Design Engineer, Manufacturing Manager, and many others.We’ve been recruiting in the engineering sector for over 50 years, and in this time have developed a thorough knowledge of the marketplace through both experience and data analysis, helping our clients to achieve fast, simple and effective recruitment. During conversations with our clients, we’re often asked what the average salary is for the role they’re trying to fill. We are also often surprised by how many of our candidates aren’t aware of whether their salary is above or below the average.Average Engineering Salaries in the Midlands ReportUsing our own data from thousands of placements made over the last 12 months, we decided to publish this report to answer one of the most common questions that arise during the recruitment process – what are the average salaries in engineering? How much do Maintenance Engineers make? What’s the average Maintenance Engineer Salary in the UK? Whether you’re advertising a single job, or recruiting in high volumes, it’s important to know what salary to offer.Starting with The Midlands region, we’ve removed any guesswork and taken a look at the true salaries offered by our clients to our successful candidates placed into engineering jobs. The report includes an overview of the engineering marketplace and answers the following questions: The average Maintenance Engineer salary in the UKThe average Quality Engineer salary in the UKThe average Design Engineer salary in the UKThe average Engineering Manager salary in the UKThe average Internal Sales salary in the UKThe average External Sales salary in the UK& many more average engineering salaries in the UKDownload the salary reportThe report will open in a secure PDF format that you can either view online (web and mobile) and save for future reference. Simply fill in the brief form below to download. If you’re looking for an engineering recruitment specialist to support your business, or help you to find a new job, you can also contact us here.Engineering RecruitmentATA Recruitment are manufacturing and engineering recruitment specialists, working alongside some of the UK’s biggest businesses for over 50 years. We help our clients to overcome the engineering skills gap and hire the best talent for their engineering team in a very competitive market.Our thorough processes ensure that employers receive a seamless service, saving them both time and money in the recruitment process. If you would like to find out more about how ATA can support your business to fill your engineering jobs, contact us using the button below.

An Engineer's Guide to Maintenance Shift Patterns

Whether you’re a seasoned Maintenance Engineer or relatively new to the profession, the numerous shift patterns and jargon can be confusing. This blog is a simple guide to maintenance shift patterns and will help you to decide what’s best for you during your job search.We recently asked our Maintenance Engineers what their biggest deciding factor in their job search is outside of salary and the majority stated that the right shifts are their #1 priority. So, what’s the right maintenance shift for you? See some of the most common below.Continental ShiftsThe most common of all maintenance shifts is the Continental pattern. In a nutshell, you would be working 12-hour shifts on a 4-on-4-off basis. Typically, week one would be 4 straight days, week two 4 straight nights, with 4 days off in between. Your rota would look something like the below:MonTuesWedThursFriSatSunWeek 16am-6pm6am-6pm6am-6pm6am-6pmoffoffoffWeek 2off6pm-6am6pm-6am6pm-6am6pm-6amoffoffPanama ShiftsAlso known as the lifestyle shift, Panama works nicely for those that would prefer to work fewer weekends. Working 12-hour shifts on a 3-on-3-off followed by 2-on-2-off basis, with a rotation of both days and nights, a rota would look like the below:MonTuesWedThursFriSatSunWeek 16am-6pm6am-6pm6am-6pmoffoffoff6am-6pmWeek 26am-6pmoffoff6pm-6am6pm-6am6pm-6amoffThree ShiftsAlso known as the lifestyle shift, Panama works nicely for those that would prefer to work fewer weekends. Working 12-hour shifts on a 3-on-3-off followed by 2-on-2-off basis, with a rotation of both days and nights, a rota would look like the below:MonTuesWedThursFriSatSunWeek 16am-2pm6am-2pm6am-2pm6am-2pm6am-2pmoffoffWeek 22pm-10pm2pm-10pm2pm-10pm2pm-10pm2pm-10pmoffoffWeek 310pm-6am10pm-6am10pm-6am10pm-6am10pm-6amoffoffDouble DaysDouble days is the perfect shift for Maintenance Engineers that don’t want to work nights or weekends. Consisting of 8-hour days, the double day shift tends to include a week of morning hours followed by a week of afternoons, like below:MonTuesWedThursFriSatSunWeek 16am-2pm6am-2pm6am-2pm6am-2pm6am-2pmoffoffWeek 22pm-10pm2pm-10pm2pm-10pm2pm-10pm2pm-10pmoffoffMaintenance JobsWe’ve been recruiting in maintenance for over 50 years and know a thing or two about engineers and the engineering sector. A work-life balance is important, and we have hundreds of Maintenance Engineer jobs which offer a variety of shift patterns to suit you. View our jobs below or contact us to discuss your requirements.VIEW MAINTENANCE JOBSCONTACT US

How to Become an Engineering Contractor

Want to know more about how to become an engineering contractor, but not sure where to start? If you’re a permanent engineer looking for advice on how to start contracting, this blog is for you.With the help of one of our Contract Recruitment Specialists, who has over 12 years’ experience with engineering contractors, we have compiled a list of things you will need to think about and action before you begin your first contract.We’ve also spoken to contractor insurance specialists, Kingsbridge, to outline your protection requirements as a contractor, to protect both you and your clients from any unexpected costs. Keep reading to find out the steps you’ll need to take to become an engineering contractor.Weigh up the pros and consIf you’ve always been a permanent employee, there are several things to consider when making the move into contracting. When you leave permanent employment, you also lose all the comforts of a permanent job, such as holiday pay and sick pay – as a contractor, you’re only paid for the time you work. However, contractor pay is attractive, and the flexibility is ideal for those who don’t always want to work 9-5.There are both reasons for and against contracting, and it completely depends on your personal circumstances. Read our blog on the life of a contractor for a full comparison of contract and permanent employment.Do some market researchHow much contractors are paid is determined by several factors – experience, location and market demand are just some of the things that may influence your rate. Some of the rates you may have seen advertised could be completely different to what you could realistically earn.Do some research on job boards and find out what rates are being offered for roles similar to your profile and ask your connections about current pay rates in the market. Doing so will ensure you’re realistic and know exactly what to expect when it comes to looking for your first engineering contract.Working awayIt’s very unlikely that you will find an engineering contract on your doorstep – the right contract can sometimes come with lengthy commutes or require you to lodge for the duration until the work is complete. Whether this is feasible will of course depend on your individual circumstances, but it’s a question that will come up during any conversation with a contract recruiter, so ensure your mind is made up.Set up a limited companyGreat, you’ve decided that contracting is the route you want to go down, so now you need to get set up.Most engineering contractors we work with at ATA are paid through a personal service company (PSC) which is the most common way to contract as it’s the most tax efficient. In order to do this, you would need to set up your own limited company. Working as a PSC and running a limited company, you’re invoicing for your work as a business, not an individual, and therefore are accountable for all the admin involved, including corporation tax and other deductions.You will not be able to start an engineering contract as a PSC without your certificate of incorporation, business bank account details and proof of identity, so ensure you have all that ready before you begin searching for your first contract role. You will also be required to obtain relevant insurances, we’ll cover this later in this blog.Contractor InsurancesIn order to carry out any work as a contractor, most clients and recruiters will require you to have Public Liability Insurance and Professional Indemnity Insurance.Public Liability covers you if somebody is injured, or property is damaged as a result of your actions while providing a service. Professional Indemnity covers you if you’re accused of professional negligence, bad advice or making an error that costs your client money.Even the best of us make mistakes. Yes, even you. 9 times out of 10 everything will run smoothly, but there’s always a chance of something going wrong. Maybe you’ll give the wrong advice, or perhaps you’ll make incorrect measurements which set the project back or requires retrospective work.We work closely with Kingsbridge Contractor Insurance who insure over 50,000 contractors throughout the UK. Rather than piecing together various elements of insurance at a high price, Kingsbridge offer all the key insurances a contractor needs in one easy-to-manage package. They also have a price promise – if you can find the same cover for a better price, they’ll match it.You will need to obtain these insurances before you can start contracting, and by reading this you can benefit from a 10% discount on your annual policy with Kingsbridge by following the button at the bottom of this blog.IR35 StatusYou don’t necessarily need to know every small detail about IR35, but you will need to understand whether your contract will be inside or outside of IR35, and exactly what this means.The IR35 status of your contract will have an effect on the amount of tax you pay, as those inside IR35 are taxed the same as a permanent employee. For a full explanation of IR35, what it means and how it may affect you, we recommend visiting Contractor Calculator.This blog has outlined both the decision-making process for becoming a contractor, and the initial steps required for you to be eligible to work on your first contract. Hopefully, by now you’re much clearer on what you need to do and are ready to begin searching for an engineering job. The last piece of the puzzle is finding a great engineering contract recruiter – that’s where ATA Recruitment comes in.Contract Engineering JobsATA Recruitment is more than just an engineering recruitment agency – we have a dedicated contract team that can help you to find a job and provide advice about contracting and the engineering marketplace. To begin searching for an engineering job, and to claim your 10% insurance discount with Kingsbridge through ATA, use the buttons below.Search Engineering JobsGet 10% off Contractor Insurance