New research shows financial and electrical roles dominate the top positions, with significant skills shortages across technical sectors
Key Findings:
- New study reveals which jobs have the highest demand in the UK job market, using data from the Department for Education’s 2024 report
- Financial and accounting technicians take the top spot, with electrical service technicians and metal machining specialists following closely
- Career expert explains how job seekers can capitalise on these high-demand roles through strategic upskilling
With rising economic pressures and rapidly changing industry needs, choosing the right career path has become increasingly complex for UK students and professionals. Many sectors face significant recruitment challenges while others become more competitive, making informed career decisions more important than ever.
To help address this uncertainty, Uni Compare has analysed official employment data to identify which jobs currently offer the strongest prospects in the UK job market. “Students and career-changers need concrete information about where the real opportunities lie,” explains Owen O’Neill, Founder of Uni Compare. “That’s why we’ve conducted this comprehensive analysis of the UK’s most in-demand jobs.”
To identify the UK’s most sought-after occupations, Uni Compare developed a comprehensive Job Demand Score by analysing six key indicators from the Department for Education’s 2024 “Occupations in Demand” report. The scoring system prioritizes job availability, with online job advertisements given double weighting in the final calculations.
The key metrics used in calculating the Job Demand Scores include:
- Visa Application Density: Represents the number of visa applications as a proportion of total employment in that occupation. For example, a score of 0.5 means for every 100 people employed in that role, there are 0.5 visa applications.
- Skills Shortage Vacancy Density: Shows what percentage of vacancies in a job are due to skills shortages. A score of 50 indicates half of all vacancies exist because employers can’t find candidates with the right skills.
- Online Job Advert Density: Reflects job advertisements as a proportion of existing employment. A score of 100 means there are as many job ads as there are people currently in those roles.
- Wage and Employment Changes: Includes annual changes in hourly wages and the proportion of temporary workers in each occupation.
Table 1: Top 10 Most In-Demand Jobs in the UK for 2025
| Rank | Job | Job Demand Score |
| 1 | Financial and accounting technicians | 64.6 |
| 2 | Electrical service and maintenance mechanics and repairers | 64.5 |
| 3 | Metal machining setters and setter-operators | 63.4 |
| 4 | IT user support technicians | 63.4 |
| 5 | Veterinarians | 60.1 |
| 6 | Optometrists | 58.9 |
| 7 | Electrical engineers | 57.8 |
| 8 | Nursery education teaching professionals | 57.7 |
| 9 | Office supervisors | 57.1 |
| 10 | Business sales executives | 54.4 |
Financial and Accounting Technicians Lead the Demand
Financial and accounting technicians secured the top position with a Job Demand Score of 64.6. Despite employing 41,300 professionals with an average hourly wage of £22.68, this sector shows substantial recruitment activity with an online job advert density of 96.2 – meaning there are nearly as many job ads as current employees.
“The high demand for financial technicians reflects the growing complexity of financial regulations and reporting requirements across UK businesses,” notes O’Neill.
While the hourly wage showed a slight decrease of £0.73 compared to the previous year, the sector’s recruitment needs remain high, with a 4.43% increase in temporary workers, suggesting employers are filling immediate gaps while searching for permanent talent.
The data also reveals a visa application density of 0.5, indicating a moderate reliance on international talent, while the skills shortage vacancy density of 54.4% shows that more than half of all vacancies in this field remain unfilled due to skills gaps.
Electrical Service Technicians in High Demand
In second place, electrical service and maintenance mechanics and repairers scored 64.5, with a remarkably high online job advert density of 117.0 – suggesting more job openings than current workers in the field. With just 31,900 professionals currently employed at an average hourly wage of £17.22, employers are struggling to fill positions.
“The technical nature of electrical service work, combined with its importance across multiple industries, has created a significant skills gap,” explains O’Neill.
With a skills shortage vacancy density of 61.1%, these roles are proving difficult to fill despite only experiencing a minor wage decrease of £0.30 year-on-year.
The relatively low visa application density of 0.2 suggests this is primarily a domestic skills shortage rather than a sector heavily reliant on international recruitment.
Metal Machining Specialists Show Strong Demand
Metal machining setters and setter-operators rank third with a Job Demand Score of 63.4. This sector employs approximately 38,200 professionals at an hourly wage of £15.05 but faces significant recruitment challenges with a skills shortage vacancy density of 69.6% – the highest among the top three jobs.
“The manufacturing sector is struggling with finding qualified metal machining specialists,” says O’Neill.
Despite a moderate online job advert density of 98.1, nearly 70% of vacancies remain unfilled due to skills shortages, highlighting a serious gap in technical expertise.
The data shows a small increase of 1.05% in temporary workers and a visa application density of 0.3, suggesting employers are attempting various strategies to fill these positions.
Owen O’Neill, Founder of Uni Compare, commented:
“These findings represent clear opportunities, both for students planning their education and professionals considering career changes. The data points to specific skills that are in high demand but short supply across the UK job market.
“For students mapping out their future, focusing on financial services, electrical engineering, IT support, or healthcare specialities like veterinary medicine could lead to strong employment prospects. The significant skills shortages we’re seeing indicate that employers are eager to find qualified candidates in these fields.
“Professionals looking to change careers should consider targeted training programs that address these specific skills gaps. Technical training in areas like metal machining could yield excellent employment opportunities, while digital skills remain valuable across all industries.
“Universities and colleges can better serve students by developing industry-informed curriculums that create direct pathways into these high-demand careers. The most effective programs will combine theoretical knowledge with practical experience to produce graduates ready to fill these important roles.”
