GCA Q3 2025 Recruitment Report Highlights Field-Based Dominance and Shifting Regional Demand

Glen Callum Associates (GCA), the specialist recruitment agency serving the automotive aftermarket, has released its Q3 2025 recruitment report, revealing a market where field-based roles remain dominant, northern locations are proving most popular, and businesses continue to balance industry experience with fresh talent from allied sectors.

The latest quarterly findings confirm that the aftermarket’s workforce is still firmly centred around in-person activity, with field placements leading at 46% of all roles. Onsite/office-based positions accounted for 27%, while hybrid roles rose to 18% – showing a notable rebound in flexible working compared to the previous quarter. Remote-only opportunities held steady at 9%.

Kayleigh Bradley, Senior Recruiter at GCA, commented: “We’ve seen field-based roles consolidate their place as the engine of aftermarket hiring, particularly across sales and technical functions. The rise in hybrid positions also suggests employers are responding to candidate demand for greater flexibility, while still prioritising strong face-to-face interaction in key areas.”

Industry vs. allied sector recruitment remained well-balanced in Q3. Of all placements made, 91% were within the aftermarket, with 55% of successful candidates already from the sector and 45% bringing transferable skills from allied industries.

Kerrie Richards, Director at GCA, added: “The aftermarket is keeping pace with change by blending deep sector knowledge with cross-industry expertise. Sales, marketing, operations and technical positions continue to drive demand, but employers are increasingly valuing fresh perspectives from outside automotive. This approach is helping businesses bridge skills gaps while preparing for long-term growth.”

Key Q3 Placement Insights:

·       91% of roles placed were non-executive, with 9% at executive level.

·       Top job categories: Sales, Marketing and Operations (61%), Technical (16.5%), IT/Data (16.5%), and Senior Executive/Management (6%).

·       36% of candidates were headhunted, while 64% came via GCA’s database or direct applications.

·       Northern UK emerged as the most popular hiring location in Q3.

The data reflects a market that is strategically focused on relationship-led, field-based work, while also adapting to candidate preferences for more flexible arrangements. At the same time, the northern concentration of placements underlines a geographical shift in demand compared with earlier quarters.