Is Edinburgh the latest UK hot destination? Its economy is booming and bosses are calling out for skilled professionals.

09 May 2008

London has always been seen as the main destination for those wanting to work and live in the UK but a growing number of people are now looking at what other British cities have to offer.

A major attraction is Scotland’s capital city, Edinburgh. There is a massive skills shortage in the city and according to the leader of the city council Jenny Dawe, employers are welcoming workers from Australia, South Africa and New Zealand with open arms.

Attracting a high quality workforce is hugely important in ensuring Edinburgh remains a diverse, cosmopolitan and attractive city and I would encourage anyone thinking of re-locating to the UK to look at everything Edinburgh has to offer.

Edinburgh boasts a thriving social and economic culture but it’s a much more compact city and more manageable than London. The local transport network is good and there are direct links to many other cities throughout the UK and overseas. The city has a wide range of accommodation options however its growing popularity means housing can be more costly than other cities outside London.

Festivals For most, Edinburgh is best known for its festivals. For three weeks in August, thousands flock to the city to attend either the world renowned ‘Edinburgh Festival’ which hosts an array of internationally acclaimed classical artists or the more fun and experimental Fringe Festival, which offers over 2,000 different shows to satisfy everyone’s taste. Even if you decide not to move to Edinburgh the festivals are definitely worth a visit. For more information visit; http://www.edfringe.com/   http://www.eif.co.uk/about-festival/about-festival.html

Working in Edinburgh
The last decade has seen Edinburgh enjoying an economic boom and, for the moment, it seems to be avoiding much of the fall out of the global credit crunch. Spokesman for the city’s Chamber of Commerce,   Graham Bell says 50 – 70 % of companies are currently actively recruiting and there is a 22 thousand shortfall of skilled workers in all industries.  "Businesses in Edinburgh across the board are not experiencing any noticeable impact as a result of the current global financial problems… Our biggest problem is finding skilled staff. "

Overview of Industry Sectors currently suffering skills shortages

Banking / Finance / Accountancy

  • This is Edinburgh’s major industry
  • The Royal Bank of Scotland, HBOS and Standard Life are all major recruiters in the city.
  • In line with the banking world, Edinburgh’s banks are projecting some job losses but vacancies are still being posted and the accounting sectors in particular are buoyant.

Andrea Green is a consultant with specialist accountancy recruiters, Wilkinson and Associates. There is still an earnings gap between Edinburgh and London but this is closing. "Depending on demand at the time, accountants may be able to choose between several offers; in fact this has been particularly applicable for newly and recently qualified accountants."

Engineering and Construction

  • Edinburgh and the surrounding region are home to several major engineering companies, eg. Selex, formerly British Aerospace.
  • 6 billion pounds worth of construction projects are currently underway or forecast for the immediate future.
  • Building rates for housing stock are being doubled,
  • London Olympics and Commonwealth Games in Glasgow are draining the sector of skilled workers and consequently there is a desperate shortage of skilled workers in the local region.

Creative Industries

  • Edinburgh is home to a wide range of thriving media / PR and marketing companies.
  • Openings for  inexperienced but enthusiastic sales people in the recruitment side of these industries
  • For other roles, employers generally prefer people with experience and a track record in their field.

IT

  • There is a significant number of development companies based in and around the city
  • Innovative product engineering firms are always happy to hear from professionals with a good current skills base.

Hospitality

  • The Hospitality industry in Edinburgh is second only to London.
  • The business tourism market is the 5th largest in Europe. 
  • It’s an international tourist destination, major conference centre and also boasts a thriving social scene with hundreds of pubs, bars and restaurants.
  • There are more eating houses per head of population than any other UK city. There is demand for workers across all areas of the hospitality industry from waiting staff to management roles.

We hope you've found the profile on Edinburgh interesting and helpful. For more information on moving to Edinburgh and the opportunities open to you why not give FastrackUK a call on the numbers above or click on the links and email us directly.

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