Are you looking to change careers? From engineers to sustainability managers, these are the “in-demand” jobs that saw the biggest salary increases in 2022
- Continued strong demand for roles in engineering, construction and technology
- Strong increase in demand for qualified professionals in sustainable development
- Cybersecurity managers get some of the highest average salaries
Electrical engineers, sustainability managers and cybersecurity experts could pocket some of the biggest salaries if they decide to change jobs in the new year, according to a new exclusive analysis.
More than half of workers intend to seek a new job in 2023, according to data from recruiter Hays, and with more than 1.1 million jobs unfilled in the UK, those looking for a new challenge are likely to see many opportunities.
Skills shortage areas such as engineering, construction and technology are expected to continue to be in high demand in the coming months, along with energy and sustainability managers, as the search for jobs green continues.
Green jobs: With companies having to reconsider their impact on the environment, the demand for qualified professionals in sustainable development has increased sharply.
Cybersecurity managers are expected to continue to earn some of the highest average salaries of around £81,500 a year as the world moves increasingly online and these roles become more in demand.
But the most in-demand employees are expected to be electrical and automation engineers – roles that continue to feature on the UK government’s shortage occupations list – according to Hays, who surveyed 13,500 professionals and employers.
Electrical engineers earned on average almost £49,000 a year in 2022, and automation engineers £48,000 – both well above the median full-time UK salary for the past year of 33,000 £.
Engineers working in this industry typically hold a degree in electrical engineering or a related field such as physics, software engineering, or computer science.
Quantity surveyors, who advise on building projects, are also expected to be in high demand next year and are looking to pocket around £55,000 a year.
With companies increasingly having to reconsider their impact on the environment, there has been a surge in demand for qualified sustainability professionals, according to Hays director Paul Gosling.
| Use | Sector | Average salary (2022) |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Electrical Engineer | Engineering | £48,875 |
| 2. Automation Engineer | Engineering | £48,000 |
| 3. Quantity surveyor | Construction | £55,250 |
| 4. Cybersecurity Manager | Technology | £81,500 |
| 5. Energy/sustainability manager | Sustainability | £50,000 (experienced) |
| 6. Qualified social worker | Social Protection | £31,583 (2 years experience) |
| 7. Partially Qualified/Newly Qualified Accountant | Finance | £31,396 |
| 8. Data Analyst | Technology | £43,400 |
| 9. Clinical Operations Manager | Life sciences | £70,000 |
| 10. Digital Marketing Analyst | Marketing | £42,200 |
| Source: Hays; list compiled based on demand across the UK in December 2022; salary averages collected between August and November 2022 | ||
“The UK government is investing £12 billion to support up to 250,000 skilled green jobs by 2030, as part of its ten-point plan,” he said.
“However, those with the required skills are few and far between and there are plenty of opportunities for people wanting to develop their careers in sustainability.”
Meanwhile, clinical operations managers, who work for pharmaceutical companies overseeing clinical trials, would be looking at £70,000 a year.
Qualified care workers with at least two years’ experience are also in high demand, but would likely earn less than half that salary, around £31,580 a year.
Which roles got the biggest pay raises?
The main pay rises this year went to Salesforce solutions architects, who saw their average annual salary jump nearly 19% to £107,000, and systems design engineers and product managers, who saw their average salary increase by 18%.
As companies become more mindful of their social responsibility, diversity, equality and inclusion managers have also seen some of the biggest pay rises this year – up 11% to nearly 56 £000.
| Use | Industry | Salary (average 2022) | % salary increase since 2021 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Salesforce Solution Architect | Technology | £107,000 | 18.50% |
| 2 | Systems design engineer | Engineering and manufacturing | £65,000 | 18.20% |
| 3 | Product manager | Technology | £71,091 | 16.50% |
| 4 | SAP database consultant | Technology | £61,800 | 16.20% |
| 5 | Talent/resourcing manager | HOUR | £79,000 | 14.90% |
| 6 | Newly graduated lawyer | Legal (private practice) | £67,577 | 14.60% |
| 7 | Aerodynamic Engineer | Engineering | £65,000 | 14.50% |
| 8 | Cyber Security Analyst | Technology | £56,136 | 14.10% |
| 9 | Cybersecurity engineer | Technology | £73,125 | 13.90% |
| ten | worker/welder | Engineering and manufacturing | £32,250 | 13.70% |
| 11 | Clinical research associate (senior level) | Life sciences | £54,000 | 13.70% |
| 12 | Data Scientist | Life sciences | £58,750 | 11.90% |
| 13 | Platform engineer | Technology | £60,455 | 11.80% |
| 14 | Marketing Analyst / CRM Analyst | Marketing | £38,909 | 11.50% |
| 15 | Diversity, Equality and Inclusion Manager | HOUR | £55,833 | 11.30% |
| 16 | Machine learning manager | Life sciences | £81,000 | 11% |
| 17 | Data Engineer | Technology | £57,364 | 11% |
| 18 | Engineering Operator | Engineering and manufacturing | £26,000 | 10.60% |
| 19 | Financial director | Financial compatibility | £126,042 | 10.60% |
| 20 | Automation Engineer | Engineering and manufacturing | £49,500 | 10.30% |
| Source: Hays, based on analysis of over 10,000 salaries, as well as survey data from over 13,500 employers and professionals. | ||||
Brendan Ryan from Hays added: “Vacancies in the social care sector are on the rise which means there are now multiple opportunities for someone who wants to make the career transition to become a social worker.
“To become a qualified social worker, you will generally need qualifications and experience through a university degree, a degree-based apprenticeship or a work-related learning program such as Step Up To Social Care.
“Once you are qualified, there are several career paths available to you as you gain more experience and hone your skills.”
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