The UK’s Fastest Growing Jobs For 2014

by Tori Smith

We begin the New Year with the encouraging news that the UK is predicted to be the West’s fastest growing economy at the start of 2014.

Analysis conducted by the UK Business Confidence Monitor, based on growth figures from 2013, predicts the UK economy will continue to grow at a slow and steady rate throughout 2014.

According to the Office of National Statistics (ONS) by the end of Q3 2013 the UK economy had grown by 0.8%; its strongest performance since 2010. Growing confidence in the construction and manufacturing sectors during Q1 and Q2 of 2013, along with a drop in unemployment rates, were cited as factors influencing a growing confidence in our economy.

But how does this affect job seekers looking forward to 2014?

Knowledge and the personal touch

The UK jobs market has changed significantly in the last two years and continues to change in response to rapidly emerging industries, including technology and online marketing, but also in response to the way in which people want to work.

The Jobs Economist Consultancy recently analysed data from the ONS to compile a list of the UK’s fastest growing and fastest declining jobs.

The data compares ONS employment rates in Q2 2011 with Q2 2013 and provides a snapshot of the kind of roles jobseekers might find themselves applying for in 2014.

“The expansion of these occupations highlights the degree to which both knowledge and ‘the personal touch’ are key skill requirements in today’s labour market,” said Dr John Philpott, director of The Jobs Economist.

The list of fastest growing jobs includes:

1. Paramedics
2. Psychologists
3. Graphic designers
4. Company secretaries
5. Police community support officers
6. Production managers and directors in mining and quarrying
7. Undertakers, mortuary and crematorium associates
8. Conference and exhibitions managers and organisers
9. Chemicals and related process operatives
10. Planning, process and production technicians

Although the list of fastest growing jobs includes several highly skilled roles the list of jobs in decline also identifies some skilled roles experiencing a downturn:

1. Ambulance staff (non paramedic)
2. Plasterers and pipe fitters
3. Parking attendants
4. Debt collectors and bailiffs
5. Dressmakers

Other trends for 2014 and beyond

Technology jobs, particularly website design and ‘content’ marketing occupations, are also expected to be greatly in demand in 2014. So-called content marketing, which includes everything from social media management to blog writing to email marketing, is a growth area due to the huge increase in internet usage for business and commerce. Jobs in web design, particularly responsive web design (which creates websites to ‘fit’ all devices, e.g. laptops, mobiles and tablets), is expected t increase in line with the ever-evolving range of media devices available on the market. At the top end of the technology industry roles in 3D engineering (including 3D rendering and printing) are expected to lead the way.

With the steady improvement of the UK’s housing market jobs in the property industry, particularly in real estate, are expected to increase. This is an industry which experienced massive decline during the recent economic downturn. However, with growing confidence in the mortgage market and a rise in house prices, estate agencies are expected to start recruiting for more roles jobs in property sales and marketing.

Finally, looking at the long range forecast for jobs (2012-2022), jobs in the care sector are predicted to rise in importance. With the UK’s population ageing faster than growing roles in the care sector, especially care workers, are predicted to be the fastest growing.

We think this is really encouraging news for North Wales as many of the jobs highlighted for growth are an already an essential part of our economy.

We’d be interested to hear your thoughts. Do the predictions give you a reason to rethink your career plans?

If they do we’d be delighted to help you make the change. Contact us today to arrange an appointment.

Survey finds ageism still a barrier to employment

by Tori Smith

In this enlightened age of equality and fairness we like to think as we get older we’ll be afforded equal treatment when it comes to finding work. Not so, according to a recent survey conducted by TotalJobs. The survey found a staggering 83% of jobseekers over the age of 60 believed they’d been rejected for a job simply on the grounds of age.

It’s unsurprising, therefore, that out of 1400 respondents 80% of those over 50 had deliberately witheld their date of birth from their CV. Director of TotalJobs, John Salt, found the results of the survey to be ‘alarming’, especially as age discrimination has been illegal since 2006.

Whilst unemployment figures as a whole are a political hot potato the emphasis for reducing unemployment is placed largely on youth unemployment. However, the survey revealed those over 60 faced the biggest hurdles when finding a job. With the majority of government schemes created to support young people around 70% of older job-seekers state the government focusses too much on the young. Of those unemployed for 6 months or more jobseekers that are 60+ are almost twice as likely to be unemployed when compared to 25-34 year olds.

A more worrying trend, however, is the fact that within this group of unemployed over 60s 20% are senior professionals who have been job hunting for at least 2 years. As such the wealth of skills and personal qualities which led them to positions of seniority lie dormant – depriving the UK workplace of a rich seam of knowledge and experience. Of these senior job-seekers 46% of over 50s stated they had applied for more than 50 jobs in the last 6 months. Sadly, two-thirds of these applicants also stated they received fewer than 5 responses despite matching the job description.

But it’s not all bad news. Some employers are actively turning ageism its head by recognising the importance of mature employees and the benefits older workers can bring to the workplace. Fast food chain MacDonald’s boasts higher productivity from outlets employing over 60s alongside younger staff. Employers including Asda, British Gas, Marks & Spencer and JD Wetherspoon actively recruit mature staff preferring their experience and reliability over younger, but cheaper, employees.

According to a government poll in August 2013 the number of people aged 50-64 in employment has increased by 2 million over the last fifteen years. The pensions minister said “employers who ignore the talent pool on offer amongst the over 50s are likely to suffer shortages and lose a key competitive edge.”