How hard is it to get a job these days?

P.S. they did get a lot of applicants for the jobs they had difficulties with - they had a large advert in the national newspapers, so it attracted a lot of applicants. But when it came to the interview and job offer stage, most of the applicants had unrealistic salary expectations and werent willing to work for the salary offered.
 

Skilled engineering trades people (toolmaking, turning etc). Manual and CNC machinists and programmers. We're not the only company in our sector that can't get good people.
 
It is pretty hard out there to find anything.

A mimimum wage job would keep you going.