Economic recovery, industrial revitalisation, new industries and large capital investment has transformed Scotland in recent years. Structurally high unemployment in many areas meant people leaving in search of new opportunities; today, they are arriving.
Recent headlines tell an optimistic tale for Scotland’s employment prospects: ‘Scottish unemployment falls by 18,000’, ‘Scots youth employment above UK’ and ‘Scottish economy continues to expand’. Several key events have helped boost the country’s international profile in 2014: such as the year of Homecoming, the Commonwealth Games and the Ryder Cup.
An excellent transport network, relatively low cost of living and the recent accolade as a European Capital of Culture, there’s much to draw people to work in this west coast city .
The Commonwealth Games has helped accelerate the regeneration of Scotland’s largest city. There has been considerable investment in the training and employment of young people in Glasgow. The Games’ organising committee created 1044, while the Legacy Fund has been established to match-fund 1000 graduates seeking employment in the city. Of a ‘surge’ in jobs reported by Scottish recruiters, Glasgow has seen the greatest gains in permanent employment in recent months. It’s also a natural choice for employment in the creative industries, with recent investments in projects like Creative Clyde.
While unemployment rates are dropping across the UK, nowhere has this financial recovery been more keenly felt than in Scotland , with foreign investment at its highest in 16 years north of the UK border. Last year, Aberdeen came top of a list of cities as the easiest place to find a job in the UK, with a reported two jobs for every jobseeker in the city. This means Aberdeen has the lowest unemployment rate of all 32 Scottish authorities, with only 1.8% of the city’s working age population seeking work. Aberdeen’s energy industry is king, with North Sea Oil providing the core of a significant energy related infrastructure, and growing progress in renewables. The area is also responsible for 49% of all fish landings in the UK, and providing 25% of Scotland’s fishing employment. Further, the tourism industry saw a 6% increase in the last year, and drew in over 1.2 million visitors to the area in 2012.
Working in Aberdeen: With significantly higher household incomes in Aberdeen than the Scottish average, disposable income is quite the draw, as is the superior chance of finding work.
Viewed as Scotland’s economic powerhouse, Edinburgh was named the UK’s second best place to live in 2013 in a MoneySuperMarket survey, predominantly due to its favourable quality of living, determined by factors like average salary and low unemployment rates. Financial services, human health and social work are Auld Reekie’s most robust sectors in terms of employment, but tourism is also key, with the city attracting over 4.3 million visitors in 2012, and employing over 30,000 people in support of this.
Working in Edinburgh: Employees in Edinburgh can expect a diverse cultural landscape, with the attraction of the Fringe Festival in late summer, a brimming nightlife and vibrant student and arts communities.
With booming agriculture, engineering, fishing, food and drink and tourism revenues, Scotland has proven its mettle as a robust and diverse world economy, and what’s more, Scottish recruiters are paying more in starting salaries than the rest of the UK, with notable demand in the medical and IT sectors. Despite Scotland’s constitution being under considerable scrutiny at present, the facts are clear: as far as Scottish employment is concerned, the future has never looked brighter.