Utah’s manufacturing industry is booming, but companies from Silicon Slopes to industrial innovators are facing growing challenges in attracting top manufacturing engineers, electrical engineers, production engineers, and technical specialists for key roles.
Vacant engineering positions at medical device companies in Salt Lake County are taking months to fill, stalling new product development. Aerospace firms in Davis County are finding it difficult to find qualified electrical engineers to bring projects to fruition. Across the state, manufacturers are seeing production slow as competitors scoop up available talent while they scramble to fill jobs.
Job boards and out-of-date recruiting practices are no longer bringing in the high-quality talent companies need. It’s time for intentional and focused action to build your A-team.
Utah Manufacturing’s Evolving Talent Needs: Engineering Skills in Short Supply
A thriving Utah manufacturing boom is driving demand for more specialized and highly-technical engineering talent. But, the talent pool is lagging behind in an industry rapidly changing.
From assembly line work to advanced manufacturing, more positions are calling for niche skillsets: everything from automation and advanced sustainable design, to complex machine tooling and precision systems.
The skills gap in Utah’s workforce is only widening as baby boomer engineers move to retirement without the decades of process improvement, efficiency, and systems optimization expertise to replace them. In-demand specialists such as manufacturing engineers experienced in lean manufacturing techniques, electrical engineers with advanced PLC programming experience, and production engineers well-versed in supply chain management and materials science are all being lost faster than they are being replaced.
Add in the siphoning of available engineering talent by Utah’s rapidly-expanding tech ecosystem into programming, software development, and artificial intelligence roles and you have a recipe for increased competition between industrial firms for a shrinking pool of high-level engineers.
Tips for Navigating the Engineering Talent Crunch
Manufacturers can’t turn back the hands of time on demographics, but they can outpace shortages with intentionality and purposeful recruiting. At Prince Perelson & Associates, we’ve been working with Utah manufacturers for more than 30 years, so we know what works. Here are our top tips for securing the best engineering talent.
Move Beyond Passive Job Posting and Generic Screening
Job boards just don’t get at candidates in the passive candidate pool–qualified engineers in stable careers, with no immediate need to change jobs who will never apply to an advertised job posting. It’s the “post and pray” mentality and you need to start praying somewhere else.
Job boards and generic screening processes also don’t help manufacturers home in on the technical skills needed for high-stakes hires. A “5 years experience in production engineering” may sound great on paper, but it’s no indicator of competency in CAD modeling, failure analysis, or leading cross-functional teams.
Salary is another blind spot. A survey of salary data five years old that doesn’t accurately reflect current rates for specialized skills undervalues in-demand technical experts. On the flip side, savvy engineers will be benchmarking compensation offers against publicly available salary data from friends and colleagues.
Target Passive Engineering Talent Directly
In top Utah manufacturers, executive recruiting looks a lot like headhunting. Professional relationships are built and maintained with manufacturing and electrical engineers even before the company has an open role. As most highly-skilled professionals won’t jump into the job market on a whim, strong relationships can position your company as the first or only choice when they do.
A Utah manufacturer that’s scaling up a dedicated engineering team as part of R&D expansion or building out new facilities can also partner with a recruiting firm to help source the talent needed. A specialized team will leverage proprietary networks to identify qualified production engineers and technical leads, significantly offloading HR burden and accelerating time-to-hire.
Building Relationships with Advanced Technical Training Programs
Connect with Utah’s advanced manufacturing talent pipelines. Programs at Utah State University, University of Utah, and others regularly churn out elite manufacturing, electrical, and production engineers. Partner with technical schools and programs on capstone projects, sponsored research programs, or co-op programs to get your company brand in front of talent early.
Industry certification programs are another great way to build relationships and pipeline certified engineers: SME or IEEE chapter member sponsorships can be a great way to offer mentorships that connect to hires once certification is completed.
Recruiting the Next Generation of Engineers in a Tech-Focused Economy
Utah is a talent warzone, and competing for talent with Silicon Slopes means manufacturers need to hold their own. In particular, the next generation of engineers are looking for cutting-edge innovation in their work, better work/life balance, and an opportunity to make an impact. Values that don’t always connect with legacy “factory” stereotypes.
Manufacturers can combat stereotypes head-on with clear promotion paths (showcase the journey from production engineer to engineering manager, complete with mentorship budgets and professional development funds) and emphasis on leading edge technology: artificial intelligence-enabled predictive maintenance, IoT-integrated production lines, or sustainable manufacturing engineering can all help.
Utah companies that need to scale specialized engineering staff quickly to meet innovation and growth initiatives should consider working with a recruiting firm that specializes in advanced manufacturing. Firms with depth and breadth in manufacturing and engineering have pre-vetted, extensive networks of candidates with verified technical skill, can source and assess candidates to ensure fit with company culture, and are positioned to move quickly to fill open positions.
Partner with Expert Engineering Recruiters
Not all recruiting firms are built the same. General recruiting will never deliver candidates with the depth of manufacturing or technical process knowledge you need for senior hires from Six Sigma black belts to automation specialists.
Prince Perelson & Associates stands out as a specialist when it comes to recruiting high-level manufacturing talent. Our dedicated manufacturing and engineering team serves Utah’s advanced manufacturers, sourcing top talent for companies across the state and the nation. A robust network and focused screening process with technical assessments and reference deep-dives ensure engineers that will make an impact with the efficiency and growth of their new companies.
Read about how Prince Perelson & Associates helped one of our clients overcome their electrical engineering and technical recruiting challenges in this case study.
Talk to us about how we can help solve your engineering hiring challenges today. Contact Prince Perelson & Associates today for a free consultation.
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FAQ: Frequently Asked Questions on Utah Engineering and Technical Recruiting
Q: How bad is the talent shortage in Utah’s manufacturing engineering sector?
A: With baby boomer retirements looming and significant engineering talent losses to Utah’s tech sector, highly-specialized roles such as production engineers and electrical engineers are all experiencing shortages. An overwhelming majority of manufacturing executives (over one-third) rank skills as their biggest challenge in the shift to smart manufacturing (Deloitte 2026 Manufacturing Industry Outlook).
Q: What are the best ways to reach passive engineering talent?
A: There are two keys to recruiting passive candidates, engineers who aren’t actively job searching but would consider a move: intentional and focused outreach and relationship building. Specialized engineering recruiters are experts at engaging with passive talent and filling high-skill manufacturing roles.
Q: How can Utah manufacturers compete with tech companies for engineers?
A: Employers that trumpet their adoption of leading-edge technology and clearly communicate promotion paths see increased interest from top engineering talent in a very tight competition for skilled employees.
Q: Why use a specialized recruiter for engineering and technical positions?
A: They understand the nuances of the industry and have the most extensive networks of vetted candidates with demonstrated, proven technical expertise who are the best cultural fit for your company and can be hired the quickest.
Partnering for Recruitment Success: Secure Top Manufacturing Engineers in Utah
Contact Prince Perelson & Associates today for a free consultation. Let’s build your elite engineering team and drive manufacturing excellence across Utah and beyond.