Published Sunday 19 July 2026 · By the JustEng team
A record-breaking tunnelling machine order, rising contractor insolvencies, a major expansion of cladding remediation funding and a stark workforce forecast lead this weekend’s round-up — and every one of them has consequences for engineering recruitment and vacancies across the UK.
Europe’s largest ever TBM ordered for Lower Thames Crossing
Herrenknecht has been selected to design and build the tunnel boring machine that will excavate the twin bores of the Lower Thames Crossing — at 16.4m in diameter, the largest TBM ever used in Europe and the biggest machine ever built at the manufacturer’s Schwanau headquarters. The 120m-long, 5,000-tonne machine has been procured by the Bouygues Travaux Publics Murphy joint venture and is due to arrive at the Port of Tilbury in sections in 2028 (Ground Engineering).
Hiring angle: A tunnelling programme on this scale sustains years of candidate demand, and we expect civil engineering vacancies across geotechnics, tunnel design and settlement monitoring to build well before the machine arrives. Our civil engineering recruitment team is already tracking talent in this space.
Rolling construction insolvencies pass 3,800
Construction News reported on Friday that rolling annual construction insolvencies have exceeded 3,800, with firm failures rising 4% in June to 309, up from 296 in May. The sector accounts for around 17% of all insolvencies in England and Wales, and the collapse of London-based Ardmore Construction Group in June shows the distress now reaches major contractors (Construction News).
Hiring angle: Insolvencies release strong engineers into the market at short notice, and a specialist recruitment agency can move quickly to match them with stable employers. If you have been affected, our live engineering jobs UK board is updated daily.
Cladding remediation funding extended to buildings under 11m
The Government has confirmed it will expand cladding removal funding to residential buildings below 11m in height, with applications for the extended support due to open in August 2026 and prioritisation based on risk rather than height alone. Ministers have also accepted the Grenfell Inquiry recommendation to create a Single Construction Regulator merging the Building Safety Regulator with the national construction products regulator (International Fire and Safety Journal).
Hiring angle: A wider remediation pipeline means more fire engineer vacancies and façade engineer jobs, with assessors and remediation designers already in short supply. See our fire engineering and façade engineering recruitment pages.
Industry needs 41,000 extra workers a year to 2030
UK construction currently employs around 2.6 million people, but industry forecasts suggest the workforce must grow to almost 2.7 million by 2030 — an average of more than 41,000 additional workers every year over the next five years (O’Neill & Brennan).
Hiring angle: The talent shortage keeps upward pressure on salaries, particularly for structural engineer jobs and chartered civils roles. Benchmark pay with our structural engineer salary guide or speak to our structural engineering recruitment specialists.
JustEng is a specialist engineering recruitment agency headhunting hard-to-find engineers across civil, structural, fire, façade and forensic disciplines. Looking for your next role? Submit your CV. Hiring? Register your vacancy today.