Software Engineers and Quantity Surveyors are two of the most in demand job roles for 2019, according to new research by job search-engine Adzuna.
The study analysed Adzuna’s comprehensive job market data by looking at hiring levels and year-on-year vacancy growth, to identify the most critical hiring sectors of 2018 – and the UK’s six most in demand job roles.
Table 1: Most In Demand Job Titles for 2019
| Job Title | Advertised Vacancies | Average Salary | |
| 1 | Software Engineer | 17,887 | £51,300 |
| 2 | Quantity Surveyor | 8,882 | £51,000 |
| 3 | Automation Engineer | 2,900 | £48,000 |
| 4 | Digital Marketing Manager | 2,607 | £42,500 |
| 5 | Blockchain Developer | 1,042 | £67,300 |
Topping the charts at number one is Software Engineer, with 17,887 vacancies currently available and average pay of £51,300. This has been boosted by huge hiring efforts at tech giants Amazon, Google & Facebook: together currently looking to fill over 2,000 open roles, close to record hiring levels.
The wider Tech sector has had a strong 2018, with vacancy levels growing 7.5% year-on year from 82,899 to 89,182 jobs, and we anticipate an even faster rate of hiring in 2019, with IT vacancies looking set to top 100,000 next year. Web Designers and Product Managers are also in strong demand, with competition for candidates driving up pay levels. Average wages in tech have grown from £49k to £51.5k in 2018 and look set to reach new highs in 2019.
The second most in demand job title is Quantity Surveyor, with 8,882 opportunities currently available, and average salaries of £51,000. Other in-demand construction jobs include 8,673 openings for Construction Managers as well as 2,846 lower-skilled vacancies for Labourers. Overall, Trade & Construction vacancies have grown 14.9% compared to January 2018, climbing from 62,232 to 71,474 jobs, while salaries have stayed static at £37,700.
According to the data, Adzuna anticipates vacancy levels could reach 80,000 next year as a skills shortage makes it harder to find skilled workers. On top of this, a reliance on EU workers in the capital, where EU workers fill a third of roles (33%) could make vacancies harder to fill, meaning Construction workers will be well placed to negotiate on pay.
Third up is Automation Engineer, where 2,900 vacancies are currently on offer and salaries average £48,000. This in-demand job has been boosted by the increased use of robotics and automation in the workplace, as companies look to increase their productivity through the use of intelligent technology.
Engineering as a whole is one of the biggest employing sectors in the UK, with 68,500 jobs currently on offer, slightly lower than the 68,821 available in January 2018.
Following closely behind in the in demand job stakes is the role of Digital Marketing Manager. There are currently 2,607 job roles on offer in this area, advertising average salaries of £42,500. With internet sales an increasingly crucial way of selling, and the high street continuing to suffer, Adzuna’s data reveals companies spending more on SEO and digital-based advertising. This is feeding demand for digital marketing specialists.
Overall, PR, Advertising and Marketing positions have grown 2.6% in 2018, climbing from 27,171 to 27,875 vacancies, and Adzuna’s data predicts job openings topping 28,000 in 2019. Salaries in the sector have increased from £35,500 to £37,100 as firms shell out more to attract the best talent, but digital specialists attract a premium.
Blockchain Developer is the fifth most in demand job title on the list, with 1,049 positions currently available paying an average of £67,300. This falls within a wider trend for cryptocurrency specialists.
Job vacancies have fallen 1.7% since January 2018 in the wider Finance sector, from 77,678 to 76,363 jobs, but Accountancy & Finance firms remain key UK employers, particularly in London. (Over 23,000 opportunities are currently on offer in the capital, as hiring ploughs on deposit Brexit concerns). Pay is also improving, with salaries growing from £37,300 to £38,200 over 2018.
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