Job site Indeed has released data suggesting the fastest growing jobs in Britain. Coming out top is the role of IT engineer with demand from employers outpacing that for any other role. Job vacancies for IT engineers leapt by more than a third (33.7 per cent) between April 2018 and now, compared with the levels seen in the preceding 12 months – making the role the fastest growing in the British jobs market.
The analysis also reveals strong demand for other design and technology professionals. Vacancies for product designers increased by nearly a third (31.8 per cent) over the same period, while CNC machinists – who specialise in making machine parts for industry – account for the fourth fastest growing job (up 31.2 per cent). Demand for mobile developers jumped by 28.2 per cent, putting it comfortably into the top 10 fastest growing roles.
Table: The 15 fastest growing jobs in the UK
Rank | Title | Average salary | Jobs per million (April 2017-18) | Jobs per million (April 2018-19) | per cent Increase |
1 | IT Engineer | £28,212 | 154 | 206 | 33.7 |
2 | Salon Assistant | £16,029 | 172 | 230 | 33.6 |
3 | Product Designer | £38,203 | 170 | 224 | 31.8 |
4 | CNC Machinist | £27,881 | 121 | 159 | 31.2 |
5 | Assistant Principal | £51,541 | 109 | 142 | 29.5 |
6 | Recruiting Assistant | £22,352 | 72 | 92 | 28.5 |
7 | Mobile Developer | £34,971 | 477 | 612 | 28.2 |
8 | Designer | £32,638 | 67 | 85 | 26.3 |
9 | Car Wash Attendant | £15,873 | 167 | 210 | 26.2 |
10 | Conveyancing Assistant | £19,746 | 62 | 78 | 25.8 |
11 | Payroll Officer | £24,656 | 131 | 165 | 25.6 |
12 | Medical Receptionist | £16,868 | 293 | 365 | 24.3 |
13 | Kitchen Supervisor | £17,882 | 81 | 98 | 21.3 |
14 | Farm Worker | £16,419 | 128 | 155 | 21.1 |
15 | Workshop Engineer | £25,605 | 106 | 128 | 20.7 |
These surges in employer demand come against the backdrop of the UK’s record low unemployment rate. The shrinking pool of available workers means recruiters are having to fight increasingly hard to attract staff across the board, but the challenges are particularly acute for those seeking to fill roles with such intense competition.
“The UK’s fastest growing jobs range from entry level roles to highly specialist positions, showing that employers generally demand a wide range of experience and skills,” says Bill Richards, UK managing director of Indeed. “Virtually all organisations – not to mention the country as a whole – rely on IT infrastructure, and as a result the need for people who can install, service and protect it has mushroomed.
“Likewise the surging demand for mobile developers and those with advanced manufacturing skills like CNC machinists,’ he added. “While the tightness of the labour market means employers in many sectors are having to reconsider how they attract talent, all this competition is great news for jobseekers.
“It’s striking that the roles seeing the greatest growth in demand often reward highly skilled people with high salaries, even at entry level. For jobseekers the message is clear – no matter where you are in your career path, opportunity is there if you feel like a change,” concluded Rishards.