As aerospace employers compete for experienced engineers and quality specialists, Derby-based AddQual is helping manufacturers increase capacity, reduce recruitment pressures and make better use of their existing workforce.

The growing shortage of specialist engineering talent across Britain's aerospace industry is encouraging manufacturers to reconsider how they manage inspection, quality assurance and production qualification, with external engineering expertise offering a practical way to increase capacity.

A new report published by ADS Advance identifies aerospace manufacturing engineers, quality specialists, maintenance technicians and experienced systems engineers among the most challenging positions to recruit in 2026.

The report references findings from industry trade association ADS, indicating an average of 10,000 unfilled technical vacancies annually across the UK's aerospace, defence, security and space sectors. Competition for experienced personnel is particularly strong in disciplines requiring specialist qualifications, practical manufacturing knowledge and familiarity with demanding industry standards.

For Derby-based engineering and qualification specialist AddQual, the findings reinforce the commercial value of giving manufacturers access to established technical expertise, specialist inspection facilities and digital engineering systems as demand for production and repair capacity increases.

Managing Director Ben Anderson believes manufacturers can achieve significant productivity gains by combining their existing workforce with specialist external resources.

"Recruiting an experienced aerospace quality engineer or metrology specialist represents a considerable investment, particularly when you factor in the time required to develop the right technical knowledge," said Anderson.

"Manufacturers can access that expertise through AddQual as and when they need it. We can take responsibility for specialist inspection and qualification activities, giving their own engineers more time to concentrate on production, process improvement and customer programmes."

Aerospace manufacturers face varying requirements for inspection and qualification throughout the production lifecycle, from first article inspection and new product introduction to component repair and ongoing process verification.

These activities require experienced personnel, suitable measurement equipment and detailed technical reporting, often alongside the demands of day-to-day manufacturing.

AddQual provides specialist aerospace inspection and metrology services, supporting manufacturers with dimensional measurement, component verification, first article inspection and qualification programmes.

Its Derby facility enables customers to access specialist measurement capabilities while maintaining engineering resources within their own operations. The company also provides on-site technical support, working alongside manufacturing and quality teams to improve inspection processes and production capability.

Anderson believes the ability to draw upon external expertise becomes particularly valuable during production ramp-ups, new programme introductions and periods of increased maintenance activity.

"A manufacturer might require additional inspection capacity for a particular programme, or specialist knowledge to qualify a complex component or process," he explained.

"Having access to an experienced engineering team gives them the flexibility to respond to that demand. It also provides a more predictable way of managing specialist resources, equipment utilisation and the associated costs."

Alongside its engineering services, AddQual is developing digital technologies that help manufacturers increase the productivity of existing inspection and quality teams.

Its proprietary MiDAS – Measurement Intelligence Data and Analytics System platform connects measurement results, inspection workflows and qualification records, reducing the administrative workload associated with technical reporting and traceability.

Within the platform, ATLASQual supports inspection planning and workflow management, while MIND applies predefined engineering acceptance rules to support consistent component assessment. MiDAS PLANT provides operational visibility across multiple inspection cells and manufacturing facilities.

These capabilities allow experienced engineers to concentrate on complex technical decisions while routine activities, data capture and reporting become more efficient.

"One of the greatest opportunities is making the expertise already available within a business more productive," Anderson continued.

"An experienced quality engineer brings enormous value through their judgement and understanding of manufacturing processes. By automating routine reporting and organising inspection information more effectively, we can help that individual oversee a greater volume of work.

"That benefits the manufacturer financially, while also creating a better environment for developing younger engineers and technicians."

With aircraft manufacturers pursuing higher production rates and maintenance, repair and overhaul providers managing growing demand, the efficient use of specialist engineering resources is becoming an increasingly important consideration across the supply chain.

AddQual's combination of accredited inspection services, digital inspection software and engineering capability support provides manufacturers with several routes to improving capacity and controlling the costs associated with quality and qualification.

The company holds Nadcap accreditation and AS9100 certification, supporting its work with aerospace and other quality-critical manufacturing sectors.

Anderson believes a combination of workforce development, external engineering partnerships and digital technology will help UK aerospace businesses respond to the industry's evolving skills requirements.

"Developing the next generation of aerospace engineers is essential for the future of British manufacturing," he concluded.

"At the same time, companies have production commitments to meet today. Our role is to provide the specialist skills, measurement capability and technology that help them deliver those commitments efficiently.

"Ultimately, it comes down to getting more value from every engineering hour. That's where we see a significant opportunity for manufacturers throughout the aerospace supply chain."