Europe’s War Factories Desperate for Workers But There’s No One Left to Hire

As car factories across Europe close or cut back, defense firms are swooping in.

Europe’s Arms Industry Is Hiring Like Never Before

Europe’s defense manufacturers are racing to fill a surge of orders, but many are hitting the same wall: they simply can’t find enough skilled workers.

With war spending on the rise, companies say they’d hire “immediately” if workers were available.

Defense Jobs Boom, If You Have the Right Skills

Czech-based PBS Group says it could double its workforce tomorrow if it had the candidates.

The company has already raised wages by 8% and plans a further 10% increase in 2025. “We have the work,” says VP Pavel Cechal, “just not the workers.”

Building War Machines Is Not Like Assembling Cars

Executives stress the difference between high-tech defense systems and commercial production.

“You can’t build a CAESAR howitzer like you would a Peugeot,” says KNDS spokesperson Gabriel Massoni.

These systems require ultra-specialized expertise, and it’s in short supply.

Europe Needs 760,000 Defense Workers by 2035

A report by Kearney warns that increasing defense spending to 3% of GDP, a level now discussed across NATO, could demand three-quarters of a million new skilled workers across Europe.

That includes engineers, welders, software developers, and AI experts.

Rheinmetall Plans to Add 9,000 Staff

Germany’s Rheinmetall, Europe’s biggest ammunition maker, plans a 29% workforce expansion by 2028.

Other giants like Thyssenkrupp and Leonardo are recruiting heavily too, even launching in-house schools and scouting high schools and trade colleges for new talent.

The Auto Industry’s Loss Is Defense’s Gain

As car factories across Europe close or cut back, defense firms are swooping in.

Czech munitions maker STV Group says layoffs in the auto sector are finally giving them the upper hand in hiring.

“For the first time in years, we get to choose,” said president David Hac.

Secure Jobs No Longer Enough for Young Workers

Italian defense group Leonardo notes a cultural shift:

“It used to be that a stable job was enough,” they say. “Now, young people are drawn to other industries.”

The sector is fighting not just a skills shortage, but also a generational image problem.