Want a job with a huge salary attached? Here are the top-ten highest paying industries of this year so far.
Keep an open mind when browsing these top highest paying industries and you might find that your skills and knowledge will go far in a position completely unrelated to your current field.
1. Construction
Average salary: £44,359
Think construction is all about hard hats and hi-vis? If you’ve got tailored skills in development, logistics and management, then this is the environment for you.
The construction world is for those with a technical brain, a love for working outdoors and an eagerness to be part of building the world around us. If you think infrastructure is your calling, scaffolder or rig driver could be jobs for you. Maybe you’d rather work on homes, in which case roofing, plastering or bricklaying might be more your forte.
If a physically taxing job isn’t on your radar, try one of the many technical roles available within construction, including site manager, construction director and quality assurance manager.
Apprenticeships are an easy way into construction as you can learn on the job and network easily. Some employers might simply value some on-site work experience though, so you have options!
Did you know that the average annual wage in construction jumped from £41,773 in May 2015 to £44,497 in May 2016? It’s hardly surprising that it is now one of the highest paying industries. You’re onto a winner here.
Browse construction jobs here.
2. IT
Average salary: £40,845
If you love toying with computer DNA or have the knowledge to assist businesses with their digital services, then the IT industry could spark your career.
Technology is developing exponentially and so there’s a growing demand for trainees and experts alike in this field. There’s the option to support the digital infrastructure within a business as a software developer, website developer or repair technician. You might need a degree in a related subject to land one of these jobs, but there are plenty of courses you can take alongside your current job as an alternative. Tampering with your own PC may be enough experience!
Other roles within this industry that come with a great salary are consultants and analysts. They are responsible for guiding businesses in their use of technology to aid growth. You might prefer a technical sales role though, selling hardware and software to businesses and individuals – much of the tech in this case can be learnt on the job!
Browse jobs in IT here.
3. Management
Average salary: £40,721
Are you a total boss at strategy, organisation and delegation? Then management is your calling.
Management is arguably an industry in its own right. One of the ways to jump into management is through graduate schemes. They’ll offer hands-on experience in the business world and you’ll get to know how different departments are run and managed – valuable knowledge at any stage of your career.
Soft skills, such as leadership and decision making, go a long way in showing employers your potential for a management position too. So as long as you can show you’re a leader, you’re sure to excel into management with that all-important big salary.
Browse jobs in management here.
4. Consulting
Average salary: £40,073
Are you an expert in a particular skill or sector? You could be rewarded greatly for your knowledge in the consulting industry.
Consultancy is the career where you can practically skip the ‘tea and coffee runner’ title and plonk yourself straight into the shoes of someone on manager-level – no wonder it is one of the highest paying industries!
Consultants help businesses make the right decisions to grow and expand. There are many types of consulting positions out there perfect for anyone with a branch of expertise. If you’ve got HR experience then HR consultancy is for you. The same goes for finance, strategy and operations – pretty much any sector out there! If you’ve got the experience then you can easily become a consultant.
In addition to a wide range of consultancy roles, there are different types of employers. You could try large consulting companies assisting global projects, or smaller firms trained to advise regarding specific problems. Working in a division at a business or freelancing are other ways to go.
A degree is often required to land a job in consultancy, but soft skills you’ve picked up in your career are another way to prove your value.
Browse jobs in consulting here.
5. Medical/Pharmaceutical/Scientific
Average salary: £36,295
Have an aptitude for science? There are plenty of high-earning roles within medicine just waiting for you.
With daily medical and scientific advancements, there’s always a demand for talent in this sector. The best part is that salaries are rising. In comparison to 2015, the average salary for this sector has risen by 7.95%.
It is highly likely you’ll need a degree to enter this high-paying industry such as pharmacy, nursing and radiography. But even though you need to be educationally committed to succeed, many who work in this sector will say that the benefits outweigh the costs – especially as average salaries are on the rise! If you’re looking for a job with a moral kick as you change the world or just one person’s universe, this industry is the one for you.
Browse jobs in Medical/Pharmaceutical/Scientific here.
6. Engineering
Average salary: £34,919
If you want to be part of a revolutionary industry with a great salary then engineering is for you.
There’s a demand for engineers today because of the skills gap and employers are willing to offer rich salaries for this valuable expertise. And this traditionally male-dominated sector is beginning to take a brand new shape with National Women in Engineering Day and #ILookLikeAnEngineer , so you don’t want to miss out.
There are over 50 sectors within engineering including automotive, electrical and mechanical. You need to decide what type tickles your fancy; is it designing projects, developing infrastructure internationally, or probing away in a lab developing technology?
Degree-level qualifications or apprenticeships are the main ways to enter this industry. When you’re considering the most progressive industry out there with a great salary in tow, these qualifications are worth the investment.
Browse jobs in engineering here.
7. Electronics
Average salary: £33,951
There’s more to electronics than creating robots.
The electronics industry offers plenty of career paths that pay well. If you’ve got some nerd-love for computers then hardware, software or development engineering could be for you. If you have plenty of knowledge with the technology sector then a career in consultancy might be your calling. Science technician, electrician and electronic engineer are all roles which fit within this industry and they’re all financially rewarding. Once again, if you’ve got a degree, other qualifications or some hands-on experience in this field, then your chances are high for landing a job in electronics.
Browse jobs in electronics here.
8. Telecoms
Average salary: £33,328
Telecoms may have been dubbed as a dying industry, but our world needs global communication!
The telecoms industry is constantly adapting with technology to enhance global networking. If you want to work at the forefront of our future, you’ll probably need a degree-level qualification in tech, maths or physics. To work in telecoms and gain that all-important salary, you’ll need to prove to employers you can survive this rapidly changing environment with organisational skills, analytic skills and commercial acumen. But don’t worry; you’ve most likely picked up those qualities from previous positions.
Browse jobs in telecoms here.
9. Media
Average salary: £31,824
It’s a competitive industry to enter, but it always needs a wave of new vision – so why not let it be you?
Working in media sounds very glamorous and it has a very nice salary attached, but you need to be prepared to work from the bottom up. Marketing positions sit within this industry, including social media assistants and PR officers. Although they’re beneficial, specific qualifications aren’t always necessary to enter media-marketing positions; in fact work experience should carry you through.
Other media positions in radio, TV, film and music are very difficult to enter, but with the right networking you’ll get noticed. Work experience and volunteering are great ways to start this communication, perhaps through hospital radio, local newspapers and local businesses. You just need to be proactive and keep your goals in mind at all times if you really want a job in one of the highest paying industries – you’ll be rewarded for your efforts!
Browse jobs in media here.
10. Public Sector
Average salary: £31,697
Fancy contributing to society and your country? The public sector is for you.
There are jobs for pretty much any skill or qualification in the public sector. From HR to the environment in the Civil Service and government, to the military, emergency services, teaching and social care, the public sector has it all for anyone with high ambitions.
Don’t be in a hurry to turn your nose up at working in the public sector; it’s a very rewarding industry. Not only will you be financially rewarded but morally rewarded too as you give back to society. As an added bonus, the public sector is a very stable working environment as it’s supported by government – the perfect way to develop your career!
Browse jobs in the public sector here.
Article contributed by job board, CV-Library.
