Defence Technology

AI, autonomous systems, robotics, uncrewed platforms and increasingly software-led capabilities are moving quickly from development into real-world defence applications. That is having a direct impact on the skills defence organisations need. The traditional engineering disciplines haven't gone away. Systems, electronics, software, integration and test remain as important as ever. What is changing is the combination of skills employers are looking for.

The UK Aerospace sector needs skilled people, but many potential candidates may never think to look for a role in it. In August 2026, trade body ADS reported that 66% of Aerospace employers in its research were experiencing persistent workforce and skills shortages. Polling for its careers campaign found that 59% of the public had not previously received information about Aerospace careers.

Businesses are dealing with increased taxes and employment costs, including business rates and National Insurance contributions, investment levels are down, and inflation remains high. For organisations hiring across sectors such as Defence Technology, Engineering, Aviation, and Business Support, it’s proving to be a testing time.

The Chancellor, Rachel Reeves, has delivered her second Budget which, she claims, will take ‘fair and necessary’ choices to deliver on this government’s promise of change. It comes at a challenging moment for the UK economy, with productivity growth downgraded and higher inflation forecast.

We caught up with Luke, our newest addition to the CBSbutler team, to learn more about his background, sector insights, and plans to grow our Industrial Automation and Process Control presence across the US.

Across the UK, hiring managers in technical and engineering-led industries are seeing a decisive shift – candidates now have the upper hand throughout the hiring process. Scarcity of skills, rising pay transparency and changing expectations are giving candidates greater leverage than ever before when it comes to job offers and negotiations. And that’s forcing employers to rethink how they attract, negotiate with and secure top talent. For many it’s a surprising move away from traditional dynamics, but it’s not a passing fad – it reflects deeper changes in the labour market, candidate expectations and organisational strategy.

The United States government has announced a $31.5 billion investment to modernise its air traffic control (ATC) system, the most significant investment in aviation infrastructure for decades. Currently, the system, introduced in the mid-90s, still runs on copper-based networks, which were pioneering at the time but are now widely regarded as outdated, vulnerable and ill-suited to the demands of modern air travel.

Large Language Models (LLMs) like OpenAI’s GPT, Google’s Gemini, and Anthropic’s Claude are transforming the way businesses operate, how public services are delivered and how knowledge is accessed – should the UK invest in building its own LLMs?

At CBSbutler, we’ve long understood that the best candidates don’t always sit within commuting distance—and that smart hiring means thinking bigger. That’s why we’ve spent decades perfecting the art (and science) of global recruitment.