The chief executive of the Cosworth engineering group, which is building a £30 million ‘centre of excellence’ next to its existing factory in Northampton, has said that recruitment will become increasingly difficult over the next three years.

The new facility will become operational in the fourth quarter of 2014; it is expected to create 70 component manufacture and engine assembly jobs, plus a further 200 in the supply chain.

Hal Reisiger said that the calibre of Northamptonshire’s workforce is good, but his company faces competition from the F1 teams based in the county’s so-called Motorsport Valley.

“You’ve got a lot of companies competing for a limited talent pool, which drives up the cost of the product or service; we’re experiencing that at first hand. We’re managing, but as our growth plans escalate in the next 12 to 36 months, it’s going to be
increasingly difficult.”

Mr Reisiger said that apprenticeships and in-house training are helping Cosworth to meet its staffing needs; apprentices make up about 10% of its workforce, and a fair number go on to become permanent employees.

“We want to encourage people to step up and enhance their skill sets. If we have trouble bringing in a high-level engineer, then bringing in an entry-level one might be easier, and we can develop from within.”