The North-South pay gap in the engineering sector is narrowing as wages in the North have risen 26% faster than in the South over the last three years, says the Association of Technology Staffing Companies (ATSCo).
 
According to ATSCo, engineers’ median gross weekly pay in the North of the UK rose by 10.7% from £559 in 2004 to £631 in 2007. But the median gross weekly pay in the South increased 8.5% from £605 in 2004 to £674 in 2007.  The UK average growth rate for engineers’ salaries was 9.8% over the same period.
 
According to ATSCo, the biggest jump in wages for engineering professionals was in the East Midlands (19.8% over the last three years). Derby is one of the main centres of the UK’s fast-growing aerospace industry, and the headquarters of Rolls Royce, which has benefited from the recent boom in air travel.
 
ATSCo says that engineers in the North of England and Scotland have profited from the recent boom in the North Sea oil and gas industry, and strong demand in the aviation and automotive sectors. ATSCo says that a strong reputation for R&D has helped the UK’s engineering sector compete with cheaper overseas manufacturing bases.
 


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