Gain essential insights into the South West England embedded software talent market with our H2 2025 report. This guide explores how regional demand is evolving, highlighting where growth is concentrated and which sectors are driving embedded software hiring across the South West.
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Embedded Software (South West England) H2 2025 Talent Report
Rashad Saunders
12th Jan 2026
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Key Highlights
- Market Trends: Embedded software hiring across South West England remained mixed in H2 2025, with overall demand stabilising rather than accelerating. The Greater Bristol Area continues to act as the region’s core hub, accounting for the highest volume of roles and modest growth of around 4%, absorbing demand from a combination of established employers and selective expansion in higher-tech positions.
- Regional Shifts: While larger centres remain stable, smaller locations such as Gloucester and Weymouth are growing more quickly in percentage terms. This reflects faster expansion among smaller, specialist employers compared with industry giants, even though absolute hiring volumes remain lower.
- Hiring Challenges: Large, established employers continue to dominate overall headcount, but several, including Dyson and Renishaw, have seen notable declines, suggesting consolidation rather than expansion. Aerospace, defence, and high-integrity engineering firms remain active but largely flat, indicating cautious hiring and tighter controls on growth.
- Future Outlook: Momentum is increasingly concentrated in advanced computing, AI, and semiconductor-led organisations. High-growth outliers such as Arm and Graphcore highlight a shift away from traditional hardware-centric manufacturers toward more specialised, high-tech embedded software roles. Demand is expected to remain selective into 2026, with growth focused on strategic niches rather than broad-based expansion.