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The Future of Employment in Greater Manchester 2025

  • Published: Wednesday, January 22, 2025

It’s a new year of new opportunities in Greater Manchester- what’s next for you? In this piece, we’ll explore the upcoming trends and important things to know as we step into 2025- employment trends, popular apprenticeships, skills gaps that you can help change, and how AI is set to impact the job hunt. 

 

Employment 

Looking forward to the next 10 years, there will be a need for the following professionals in the UK by 2035, according UniversitiesUK: 

  • 1.9 million STEM professionals in computing and engineering 

  • 1.2 million health and social care associate professionals (including opticians, youth and community workers, and medical technicians) 

  • 1 million health care workers (such as doctors and nurses) 

  • 1 million teaching and education professionals  

 

The top five areas in need of people are: 

  • Technology (with computer programming especially set to soar in the next few years) 

  • Health 

  • Education 

  • Digital 

  • Creative Skills 

(Source)

 

If you’re looking to fill some of these areas, we're here to support you:

You can find our sector guides here.

You can find local courses today with our Course Searcher here.

Looking for local vacancies? You can find them here.

 

The Greater Manchester Baccalaureate 

Mayor Andy Burnham announced the Greater Manchester Baccalaureate (also known as the MBacc), a genuine and equal alternative to the university route and described as a “game-changing new vision” for technical education and boosting productivity. Since then, Greater Manchester has worked with education and business leaders as well as young people to design seven MBacc gateways – each linked to a sector that is growing in Greater Manchester. The MBacc was launched in September 2024, and 2025 will see its first graduates.  

 

Skills Shortages and Popular Apprenticeships 

In 2024, back-office apprenticeships were popular and had high numbers, including management qualifications, and this is projected to continue into this year. Looking forward to 2025, the need for construction apprentices continue to grow, along with engineering and manufacturing/improvement practitioners. 

There are skills shortages in most trades, especially engineering and green technologies (such as solar installation). Manufacturing is also an area in Greater Manchester with continued expansion and a need for more people. As the need for housing grows, so too does the need for a higher number of qualified construction workers, this will be supported by newly funded CITB hubs. 

If you’re looking to capitalise on these gaps and start your career in construction or manufacturing, we have sector guides that can help you to make your start.  

 

Ongoing Growth 

According to the Greater Manchester Combined Authority (GMCA), recent data from the Office for National Statistics show that growth in Greater Manchester has outstripped UK growth, with annual productivity from 2015 to 2022 up an average of 1.8 per cent, compared to just 0.8 per cent nationally. However, the productivity gap between Greater Manchester and London is bigger than European counterparts like Lyon and Paris – highlighting the need to help young people, and the national economy, achieve their full potential. 

 

Practical AI Uses 

Whilst AI has the potential to impact the authenticity of work produced, it also has the added value of assisting in more creative ways of working and speeding up processes when typically labour-intensive work was required, AI can be utilised to assist.  

It’s growing increasingly likely that AI may be used to automatically read CVs, so be sure to make your CV include the right keywords. The systems will be looking for your CV to have the specific skills and qualifications the job requires, so make sure to tailor each CV for each application to get around this and make sure you’re seen. 

In home use, AI could be used to help with grammar and spelling for CVs and cover letters and the like, helping you to avoid any small mistakes. 

 

As we enter 2025, Greater Manchester will continue to grow and thrive, with new opportunities becoming available. Employ GM is here to help you to find and seize those opportunities. Happy New Year!