Meridean Overseas
Updated On 11 March 2024 & Read Time 13 minutes
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When considering studying in UK, one primary consideration for students is the availability of job opportunities in UK. The country has long been regarded as a premier study and work destination among international students.
Even amid a recession, the job market in some industries of the UK is continually expanding and flourishing. The demand for skilled graduates is constantly increasing over here. So, if you want to study and learn about some of the top-notch job opportunities in UK, this blog is for you. Here, in this blog, let’s look at the popular job sectors in UK and their average salaries.
Table of Contents
The United Kingdom provides numerous employment and educational options, and it is well-known for prestigious universities such as London Business School, the University of Oxford, and Cambridge.
Its thriving economy and strong links between academia and industry encourage networking and professional advancement, particularly in London. International students benefit from post-study opportunities that provide significant professional experience and possibilities for long-term residency.
With a diverse economy and strong employment markets, the United Kingdom is an outstanding place to study and work, providing an atmosphere conducive to personal and professional development.
Now, let's delve deeper into some of the work opportunities one by one. First, let’s start with job prospects in the UK for Indian freshers.
Abundant Opportunities: Indian freshers seeking career opportunities in the UK have a plethora of options across various sectors.
Diverse Sectors: From Metals and Aerospace to Arts and Design, there's a wide array of industries where Indian freshers can leverage their skills.
Tailored Jobs: Many positions specifically target Indian freshers, offering suitable roles to kickstart their careers.
Lucrative Salaries: Jobs in UK provide competitive salaries, ensuring Indian freshers can earn well from the beginning.
Valuable Experience: Working in the UK allows Indian freshers to gain invaluable experience, contributing to their professional growth.
Varied Job Roles: Indian freshers can choose from various job roles that cater to their different skill sets and interests.
Teaching: It's a brilliant career which offers competitive salaries and lucrative opportunities. Qualified Teacher Status (QTS) is necessary for working as a teacher in UK, attainable through job portals, agencies, or teaching fairs. On average, teaching jobs in UK for Indians pay a salary of around £31,295 per year.
Engineering: The UK is a premier destination for pursuing engineering, with abundant work prospects and quality education. Companies there are Google, Microsoft, Meta, and Accenture. Tuition fees at £59,900/year reflect the value of high-paying roles accessible post-graduation.
Healthcare: This sector is in high demand as the UK's National Health Service (NHS) provides numerous job openings for healthcare workers. You can pursue careers as General Practitioners, Registered Nurses, Pharmacists, and Therapists. On average, you can earn between £25,000 to £100,000 annually, depending on experience and role.
Accountancy and Finance: It has lucrative career paths like Finance, Accounting, Banking, Economics, or MBA. So you will get a myriad of opportunities such as Account Manager, Chartered Accountant (CA), Financial Analyst, and Investment Banker. Also, top-notch firms like PwC, Deloitte, EY, and KPMG offer average salaries of around £73,100 annually.
Human Resources (HR): HR Jobs in the UK for Indians are in high demand, with an average salary of £67,100 per year. HR Managers, Personnel Managers, and Recruitment Managers are prevalent positions. Opportunities exist at prestigious companies like NBCUniversal, Network Rail, and Transport for London.
Advertising and PR: This sector offers top employment prospects along with social media's growing significance in marketing. Positions like PR Head, Art Director, and Creative Director are prevalent in the industry, and salaries can exceed £71,400/year, with potential employers including Awin, Merkle, and Edelman AKQA.
Marketing and Sales: These fields also present numerous opportunities for financial rewards and professional growth. You should consider roles like Marketing Director or Sales Manager, which can offer salaries up to £79,600 per year.
Computer Science and Information Technology: It offers lucrative job prospects at leading companies like Adobe and Microsoft, where roles such as IT Director can command salaries up to £70,300/year, ensuring tremendous growth potential for positions like Software Developer or Telecommunications Director.
Art and Design: Exciting opportunities abound for Indians who are passionate about art and design, with roles including graphic designers and art directors. Entry-level salaries are around £18,000, rising to £34,000 for senior positions, and top recruiters like Adecco and Reed actively seek qualified candidates.
Law: It offers abundant opportunities with prestigious law schools providing pathways to lucrative roles like corporate lawyers, averaging £47,000 in salary.
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While attending a UK university is not the only path to a successful career, it is a prerequisite for many of the high-demand jobs in the country. There's a lot of competition when you enter the actual world of employment, so it's essential to properly choose your business or topic of study by conducting adequate research.
Following are a few of the UK's most well-liked and lucrative industries:
Degree |
Average Salary (GBP) |
Average Salary (INR) |
Finance |
43,800-100,000 |
46 lakhs-1.05 crore |
Medicine |
38,500-110,600 |
40 lakhs-1.16 crore |
Maths |
52,500-82,500 |
55-87 lakhs |
Business and Management |
17,900-75,900 |
18-80 lakhs |
Law |
17,900-72,600 |
18-76 lakhs |
Accounting |
40,00-62,500 |
42-66 lakhs |
Architecture |
23,000-63,000 |
24-66 lakhs |
Computing |
21,200-59,900 |
22-63 lakhs |
Engineering |
32,500-54,657 |
34-57 lakhs |
Politics |
18,700-48,500 |
19-51 lakhs |
Despite the high cost of a university education, several businesses offer recent graduates well-paying training programs and employment. The following are the highest-paying positions for graduates in the UK:
Job Title |
Salary Range (GBP) |
Salary Range (INR) |
Investment Banker |
35,000-60,000 |
36-63 lakhs |
Management Consultant |
45,000-50,000 |
47-52 lakhs |
Trainee Solicitor |
26,500-50,000 |
27-52 lakhs |
Graduate Sales Manager |
37,000-44,000 |
39-46 lakhs |
Software Developer |
31,500-45,000 |
33-47 lakhs |
Graduate Petroleum Engineer |
33,000-43,000 |
34-45 lakhs |
Actuary |
31,000-35,000 |
32-36 lakhs |
Civil Servant |
27,000-32,000 |
28-33 lakhs |
Civil Engineer |
24,000-31,000 |
25-32 lakhs |
Clinical Scientist |
29,000-30,000 |
30-31 lakhs |
There will be a significant need for university graduates in the UK during the next ten years in fields like STEM, education, business services, and healthcare; by 2035, over 11 million more graduates will be required.
Employment Area |
Graduates Needed (by 2025) |
Job Roles |
Senior Managers |
1.2 million |
CEOs, Directors, Executives |
STEM Professionals |
1.9 million |
Software Engineers, Mechanical Engineers, Scientists |
Teaching and Education Professionals |
1 million |
University Professors, School Teachers |
Business Services Professionals |
1.7 million |
Lawyers, Accountants, Architects, Surveyors, Actuaries |
Business Services Associate Professionals |
1.2 million |
Data Analysts, HR Professionals, Marketing Specialists, Sales |
Health and Social Care Associate Professionals |
1.2 million |
Medical Technicians, Housing Officers, Youth and Community Workers |
Health Professionals |
1 million |
Doctors, Nurses |
Jobs in Demand in UK: Top Industries by Employment |
|
Industry |
Employment Number for 2024 |
Supermarkets |
1,147,497 |
Charities |
912,550 |
Hospitals |
886,112 |
Temporary-Employment Placement Agencies |
731,387 |
Business Process Outsourcing Services |
709,634 |
General Secondary Education |
698,757 |
Construction Contractors |
694,293 |
Direct Selling & Marketing |
633,888 |
Full-Service Restaurants |
536,268 |
Universities |
478,156 |
The most sought-after workplaces in the UK are listed below. It should come as no surprise that these employers are in great demand, as the services sector employs more than 80.2% of the workforce in the UK. These businesses not only have some of the highest salaries in the nation, but they also have a track record of employing a sizable percentage of recent graduates who meet the requirements.
Company |
Industry |
Bain & Company |
Management Consultancy |
ServiceNow |
Software Company |
Boston Consulting Group |
Management Consultancy |
Equinix |
Internet Services Company |
Ocado Technology |
Online Retailer |
Mastercard |
Financial Services Company |
|
Technology Company |
Arup |
Design Company |
Salesforce |
Software Company |
Version 1 |
IT Service Management Company |
Due to shortages in several job types, including education, science, healthcare, engineering, and care work, skilled workers may earn up to 80% of the median pay for these professions in the UK. These industries also have competitive compensation.
Occupation code |
Job types included on the shortage occupations list |
Areas where there is a shortage |
Annual salary (GBP) |
Annual salary (INR) |
1181 |
Health services and public health managers |
England, Scotland, Wales, Northern Ireland |
33,040 |
34 lakhs |
1242 |
Residential, day and domiciliary care managers and proprietors |
England, Scotland, Wales, Northern Ireland |
22,640 |
23 lakhs |
2111 |
Chemical scientists (nuclear industry) |
Scotland only |
22,800 |
24 lakhs |
2112 |
Biological scientists and biochemists |
England, Scotland, Wales, Northern Ireland |
24,480 |
25 lakhs |
2113 |
Physical scientists |
England, Scotland, Wales, Northern Ireland |
26,080 |
27 lakhs |
2114 |
Social and humanities scientists |
England, Scotland, Wales, Northern Ireland |
20,480 |
21 lakhs |
2121 |
Civil engineers |
England, Scotland, Wales, Northern Ireland |
27,760 |
29 lakhs |
2122 |
Mechanical engineers |
England, Scotland, Wales, Northern Ireland |
26,400 |
27 lakhs |
2123 |
Electrical engineers |
England, Scotland, Wales, Northern Ireland |
31,440 |
33 lakhs |
Also, Read: May Intakes in UK
In order to apply for jobs in UK, you must create a thorough CV. Include your personal contact information, employment history, relevant skills, educational background, and references. Additionally, emphasising accolades and accomplishments can help your application.
Remember not to underestimate the value of a cover letter; it differentiates you from other applicants by pointing out your distinct qualities and achievements
Include your work permit in your application to demonstrate eligibility for a full-time job and remain ahead of the competition.
Depending on the job, you may be required to present writing samples as part of your application.
UK work visas for Indian students provide opportunities for temporary or long-term employment in the country, but you must meet their specified criteria. One such option is the Dual Citizenship Visa, which grants lifetime eligibility if either or both parents are UK-born. Alternatively, the Ancestry Visa, valid for five years, requires your grandparent to have been born in the UK.
A popular choice is the Tier 2 Skilled Worker Visa, formerly known as the Tier 2 General Visa, introduced under a new points-based immigration system in December 2020. This visa enables eligible candidates with a job offer in a skilled position and sponsorship from a Tier 2 sponsor licence-holding employer to reside and work in the UK long-term.
Qualifications include passing an English language test, presenting sufficient funding to support oneself and dependents, and providing documents such as a passport, police clearance certificate, and tuberculosis examination results.
For those joining MNCs via transfer programs, the Intra-Company Transfer Tier 2 UK Visa is an option, requiring a minimum of 70 points on the assessment system. Additional criteria include sponsorship certificates and declarations of funds for accompanying family members.
Therefore, navigating these visa options requires careful consideration of eligibility criteria and documentation to ensure a successful application for employment opportunities in the UK.
The following are the 2024 visa fees for Indian nationals seeking different kinds of UK visas:
Visa Type |
Cost (INR) |
General Tier 2 UK Visa |
INR 62,663 to INR 1,42,675 |
Intra-Company Transfer Tier 2 UK Visa |
Up to INR 51,200 |
Skilled Worker Visa (3 years or fewer) |
INR 63,164 |
Skilled Worker Visa (over 36 months sponsorship) |
INR 1,26,328 |
Skilled Worker for Shortage Occupation (under 3 years) |
INR 48,046 |
Skilled Worker for Shortage Occupation (health and care with sponsorship of up to 3 years) |
INR 24,023 |
To conclude, the United Kingdom is ideal for education and work as its job market is continuously flourishing. From Arts and design to Advertising and PR to Healthcare and Engineering, you will find a myriad of options for freshers and graduates. Bain & Company and ServiceNow are the most sought-after workplaces in the UK, along with other expanding companies in several industries.
We hope the above information regarding popular job sectors in UK is useful for you. If you would like to gain a deeper insight into this, we encourage you to speak with our team of expert counsellors at Meridean Overseas Education Consultants (MOEC). Our counsellors will provide you with guidance throughout your study abroad. Get help with the application process, SOPs, and filing for a visa. Visit us for one-to-one counselling or avail yourself of free video counselling via our website. We will be happy to help you, so please do not hesitate to contact us at application02@meridean.org or 1800-1230-00011.
1. What is the most common job sector in the UK?
The majority of jobs in UK are in the wholesale, retail, and motor trade sectors, which employ about 15% of the nation's 16+ population, or 4.2 million people, according to the UK census. The health and social work industry, which employs about 14.7% of the workforce, comes in close second.
2. What job is most in demand in the UK?
In 2024, the UK will need architects, physical therapists, software developers, cybersecurity specialists, healthcare practitioners, and energy managers. These roles reflect the nation's demands in environmental management, architecture, technology, healthcare, and education.
3. Which UK cities offer the best employment opportunities?
Milton Keynes, Oxford, York, St. Albans, and Norwich rank among the UK's top cities for job opportunities. These cities have strong employment rate growth, a high business density, and high average salaries. With a notable increase in employment rates in recent years, Oxford stands out as the best UK city for this particular factor.
4. Which sector pays the most UK?
As per Glassdoor, the top-paying companies in the UK in 2022 were mainly in the technology and finance sectors. Employees at these top 10 companies receive base salaries that average more than £93,000.
5. How does the UK's educational system prepare students for the workforce?
The UK education system emphasises practical skills and theoretical knowledge, ensuring that students are well-prepared for the job market demands. Universities frequently collaborate with industries to provide relevant training and internship opportunities, improving employability.
6. What are the most important factors to consider when applying for jobs in the UK?
When applying for jobs in the UK, consider the job market demand in your field, the company's reputation and culture, the cost of living in the area, and visa requirements. Tailoring your application to emphasise relevant skills and experiences can also boost your chances of success.
7. How can Indian students enhance their employability in the UK?
You can enhance your employment attractiveness by gaining relevant work experience through internships, part-time jobs, or volunteering. Furthermore, obtaining certifications or qualifications in high demand in the UK job market can help them advance.
8. What part do professional relationships and networking play in landing a job in the UK?
Networking and establishing professional connections are essential steps to securing employment in the UK. People can find job opportunities and grow their networks by using online resources like LinkedIn, attending industry events, and joining professional associations.
9. What assistance programs exist for Indian students looking for work in the UK?
Numerous support services are available to Indian students in the UK through academic institutions, career centres, and immigrant support groups. These services aid students in successfully navigating the job market and may include career counselling, resume writing workshops, job fairs, and visa assistance.
10. How can international students transition to working in the UK after completing their studies?
Comprehending the work culture, labour laws, and job search tactics of the United Kingdom can prove advantageous for international students relocating there. To ensure a smooth transition and compliance with visa regulations, seeking guidance from career advisors, alum networks, and immigration experts can be beneficial.
Contact MOEC Experts for Study Abroad Guidance!
Contact MOEC Experts for Study Abroad Guidance!