Category Archives: Careers

Business Travel, Careers, Travel

5 Advantages of Working in the Cruise Industry

Cruising is a unique and enjoyable way to travel the world. Working in the cruise industry can be an incredibly rewarding career, with opportunities to meet new people, explore different cultures, and enjoy life at sea. Working on a cruise ship offers some of the most diverse and exciting job opportunities in the hospitality industry, allowing you to gain valuable experience while traveling around the globe. From bartenders to tour guides, countless positions are available to those looking for a career in the cruise industry. Therefore, if you are working on a Southampton no-fly cruise, here are some benefits you will get during this time.

 

Unique Experiences

Working in the cruise industry can be an exciting and unique experience. You get to travel to different parts of the world, interact with people from different cultures, and make new friends. The opportunities for growth and personal development are endless. One of the biggest advantages of working in the cruise industry is working with a diverse group of people. From chefs to entertainers, engineers, and housekeeping staff, everyone comes together to ensure guests have an unforgettable experience. The teamwork required in such an environment helps you develop strong communication skills and teaches you how to problem-solve effectively. Apart from working with a diverse team, working on a cruise ship also allows you to visit exotic locations worldwide.

 

Cross-Cultural Connections

Building cross-cultural connections is essential when working in the cruise industry. Cruise ships are floating cities, and the staff and passengers come from worldwide. Communicating effectively with people from different cultures can be challenging, but it can also be an opportunity to learn about other cultures, broaden your horizons, and enrich your life. To build cross-cultural connections in the cruise industry, start respecting other cultures. Observe their customs and traditions without judgment or criticism. Learn some basic phrases in their language to show that you are trying to communicate with them on their terms. Be patient and understanding as they adjust to a new environment.

Another way to build cross-cultural connections is to participate in onboard activities celebrating diversity. Attend cultural events such as dance performances, music concerts, or culinary experiences that showcase food from different countries.

 

Employee Benefits

Apart from exploring different destinations, you can enjoy several benefits as an employee. One of the most significant advantages is the opportunity for growth and advancement within the company. Many cruise companies offer training programs that help employees develop their skills and knowledge, which can lead to promotions and higher pay. Another benefit of working in the cruise industry is the chance to meet people worldwide. You will interact with passengers from various countries, cultures, and backgrounds as a crew member. This exposure helps broaden your perspective while improving your communication skills – both vital assets in today’s globalized workforce.

Additionally, many companies provide free or discounted travel opportunities for employees during their time off, which can be an excellent way to see new places without spending much money.

 

Travel Opportunities

Working in the cruise industry is not just a job but also an opportunity to travel the world. As a crew member, you’ll have access to some of the most beautiful and exotic locations on earth. Whether you are working as a waiter, bartender, housekeeper, or entertainer, your work schedule will be designed to allow for exploration during off-hours. Crew members can explore destinations across Europe, Asia, South America, and beyond. They can indulge in local cuisine and experience unique cultures while earning money. For those who love adventure activities like scuba diving or zip lining, this is an opportunity to do so at discounted rates offered exclusively to crew members. Working in the cruise industry provides opportunities that are unmatched by any other profession out there.

 

 

Careers, News

Career Change campaign launched as nearly three quarters of UK workers anticipated to make a change this year.

  • Working Wales has launched a campaign to encourage adults in Wales looking to change careers to seek professional support.
  • Working Wales is offering free mid-career reviews to support those looking to change or re-establish their career but not sure where to start.

A campaign has been launched by Working Wales to encourage adults in Wales looking to change careers to seek professional support. This follows recent research which revealed that almost three-quarters of UK workers (71%) will be looking for a new role this year[1].

The ‘career changer’ campaign showcases the vital support that Working Wales offers to young people and adults across Wales who are looking to make a career change but are unsure of where to start.

Delivered by Careers Wales and funded by the Welsh Government, Working Wales provides anyone over the age of 16 with a package of employment support that is unique to their individual needs to enhance their job prospects. This is likely to include help with CV writing, interview techniques, job searching and signposting to training and funding opportunities.

The campaign will highlight the benefits of accessing Working Wales’s expert, free and impartial careers guidance, to help with the complexities and uncertainties that can come with a career change.

At the core of the campaign is the free mid-career review, which aims to guide customers through the career change journey, from scoping out their reason for change and identifying transferable skills to job matching and getting job ready.

A new and valuable feature of the mid-career review is access to a free psychometric assessment for those who may benefit from them the most. Psychometric assessments are widely used in career guidance and employment to match a person’s abilities and personality to a suitable career or role. They provide a unique insight into the mind of each customer and can objectively measure an individual’s personality traits, intelligence, abilities, behavioural style, and aptitude. Used in conjunction with careers guidance, this provides customers with a solid foundation to make career change decisions.

The campaign is being backed by business entrepreneur and networking-guru Tracey Smolinski, founder of ‘Introbiz’, Wales’s biggest business expo. She outlined why getting expert careers advice and guidance is critical for those looking to change roles:

“I’m passionate about supporting individuals and businesses to expand their horizons, which is why this campaign is so important to me. For those who have been working in the same industry for many years and looking to make a change, things can feel daunting especially in the current climate.

“Working Wales is offering an invaluable service to anyone looking to change their career that will equip them with the tools they need to confidently re-position themselves. In doing so, they will be able to make quality connections, boost their confidence and secure their dream role. It’s a great place to start your new journey and I would encourage people to reach out to them for their expert guidance and coaching.”

Nikki Lawrence, chief executive of Careers Wales, said: “There are many reasons why people come to our career advisers looking for help changing direction; from being at risk of unemployment, to seeking better work-life balance or wanting to upskill and try something new. Whatever the reason, getting expert guidance from Working Wales gives people access to the knowledge and resources that will allow them to effectively re-enter or change career in an evolving jobs market. We support people in the way that is most suitable to them, and that’s why we offer face-to-face support through our career centres across Wales, telephone helpline and digital support via e-mail, through web chat and via our website.”

Commenting on the launch of the campaign, Economy Minister Vaughan Gething stressed the importance of Working Wales’s employability support, saying, “When it comes to changing careers, we want people in Wales to know that they have a wide range of options and support at their fingertips. Careers advisers at Working Wales are fully equipped to support anyone who finds themselves needing or wanting to change career for whatever reason. A Welsh Government support programme like ReAct+ or a Personal Learning Account (PLA) may benefit someone changing career or starting an apprenticeship towards a new profession, and the mid-career review is an opportunity to identify gaps in skills and qualifications.”

To find out more about the career change campaign and the mid-career review , visit https://workingwales.gov.wales/change-your-story/mid-career-review or call 0800 028 4844 for more information.

[1] https://www.reed.co.uk/recruiter-advice/job-market-review-january-2023/

Career Development, Careers, Coaching and Mentoring, News

How mentoring young people is boosting diversity and talent pipelines for businesses

In National Careers Week (6th to 11th March) Career Accelerator, an education business that connects businesses and young people is shining a light on how firms can nurture diverse talent and build talent pipelines through schools outreach opportunities.

Career Accelerator works with companies including Cisco, Pearson, Just Eat, Vodafone and GoCardless to offer mentoring programmes for students from diverse backgrounds. These include the new Neurodiversity and Disability Programme and LGBT+ business mentoring to prepare young people for successful careers.

Students that engage with businesses can develop knowledge, experience and skills that are valued in the workplace, whilst businesses can address skills shortages, boost diversity and talent pipelines, as well as provide developmental opportunities for their employees.

A report last year, ‘Diversity in Tech and its Role in Future Equality’ by Wiley Edge[i] found that 64% of businesses are struggling to retain diverse employees. But equally nearly half of young tech workers (48%) have felt uncomfortable in a job because of their gender, ethnicity, socio-economic background or neurodevelopmental condition.

Also, it was reported that there were around 870,000 tech and digital job vacancies available January to May 2022, the highest number ever recorded since job search engine Adzuna began collecting data in May 2012. It was also revealed that tech roles now make up 14% of all job opportunities in the UK, up from 11% in 2019[ii].

Mayur Gupta

Mayur Gupta, CEO at Career Accelerator said: “Despite a big push in recent years to improve diversity in workplaces, many firms are still failing to become attractive places for underrepresented groups to work. We are helping to change this by encouraging firms to engage with young people from diverse backgrounds whilst they are still at school.

“Preparing diverse young people for careers in the modern economy and supporting businesses to provide employee training, volunteering, and marketing opportunities is making a real difference to diversity and inclusion. It’s giving young people the chance to shine and develop careers they may not have thought open to them and for employers to gain fresh perspectives and widen their talent pool.”

Cisco has been working with Career Accelerator for the past three years helping young people from low income and diverse backgrounds prepare for careers in the digital sector. They run a school’s programme, as well as a LGBT+ programme and Neurodiversity and Disability programme.

 

Speaking about his experience mentoring a young person called Kade, Alvaro Berruga from Cisco said: “It’s great making an impact in someone’s career by helping them in areas that they are not familiar with yet.  I helped Kade improve his software engineering skills, and gave some suggestions to him on how to deal with his manager to achieve his goals and setting a roadmap of things he could work on.”

He adds, “I also learned a lot from him, so it was a very good experience. Mentoring someone helps you develop your communication skills and understand the needs of people who have barely started in software development. This is very useful when managing a team, or even when helping an intern or newcomer in the company.”

 

Centrica has also worked with Career Accelerator over the past three years firstly with their race network, and more recently they have started neurodiversity and disability mentoring.

They offered work experience to students from diverse backgrounds. Students in their final year of GCSE’s or studying for ‘A’ levels were based in British Gas’s commercial team, gaining exposure to different parts of the business to help prepare them for their future careers.

 

Donna Anderson from Centrica said: “I’ve loved having the opportunity to support someone from a diverse background and at the same time give something back to our society. It really helped me to work with someone who had never had any exposure to my business before and to appreciate the different ages and stages that people come into a working environment and the different needs they might have.

“It helped me as an experienced mentor, to flex my style from working with an adult to an under 16 and adapt my advice and activities to suit the relevant age. Not knowing who my mentee would be, or his background was a great reminder to be open, transparent and provide a safe place for someone to be themselves and to never pre-judge or have bias of anyone regardless of age, race, culture, ability etc.”

 

For more information on Career Accelerator visit: www.careeraccelerator.io

[i] https://wiley-edge.idstud.io/edge/site/assets/files/1084/wiley_edge_-_diversity_in_tech_report_-_uk_-_13092022.pdf

[ii] https://www.businessinnovationmag.co.uk/uk-tech-job-opportunities-hit-a-10-year-high-with-rise-in-digital-services-driving-demand/

Career Development, Careers, Education, News, Training

How mentoring young people is boosting diversity and talent pipelines for businesses

In National Careers Week (6th to 11th March) Career Accelerator, an education business that connects businesses and young people is shining a light on how firms can nurture diverse talent and build talent pipelines through schools outreach opportunities.

Career Accelerator works with companies including Cisco, Pearson, Just Eat, Vodafone and GoCardless to offer mentoring programmes for students from diverse backgrounds. These include the new Neurodiversity and Disability Programme and LGBT+ business mentoring to prepare young people for successful careers.

Students that engage with businesses can develop knowledge, experience and skills that are valued in the workplace, whilst businesses can address skills shortages, boost diversity and talent pipelines, as well as provide developmental opportunities for their employees.

A report last year, ‘Diversity in Tech and its Role in Future Equality’ by Wiley Edge[i] found that 64% of businesses are struggling to retain diverse employees. But equally nearly half of young tech workers (48%) have felt uncomfortable in a job because of their gender, ethnicity, socio-economic background or neurodevelopmental condition.

Also, it was reported that there were around 870,000 tech and digital job vacancies available January to May 2022, the highest number ever recorded since job search engine Adzuna began collecting data in May 2012. It was also revealed that tech roles now make up 14% of all job opportunities in the UK, up from 11% in 2019[ii].

Mayur Gupta, CEO at Career Accelerator

Mayur Gupta, CEO at Career Accelerator said: “Despite a big push in recent years to improve diversity in workplaces, many firms are still failing to become attractive places for underrepresented groups to work. We are helping to change this by encouraging firms to engage with young people from diverse backgrounds whilst they are still at school.

“Preparing diverse young people for careers in the modern economy and supporting businesses to provide employee training, volunteering, and marketing opportunities is making a real difference to diversity and inclusion. It’s giving young people the chance to shine and develop careers they may not have thought open to them and for employers to gain fresh perspectives and widen their talent pool.”

 

Cisco has been working with Career Accelerator for the past three years helping young people from low income and diverse backgrounds prepare for careers in the digital sector. They run a school’s programme, as well as a LGBT+ programme and Neurodiversity and Disability programme.

Speaking about his experience mentoring a young person called Kade, Alvaro Berruga from Cisco said: “It’s great making an impact in someone’s career by helping them in areas that they are not familiar with yet.  I helped Kade improve his software engineering skills, and gave some suggestions to him on how to deal with his manager to achieve his goals and setting a roadmap of things he could work on.”

He adds, “I also learned a lot from him, so it was a very good experience. Mentoring someone helps you develop your communication skills and understand the needs of people who have barely started in software development. This is very useful when managing a team, or even when helping an intern or newcomer in the company.”

 

Centrica has also worked with Career Accelerator over the past three years firstly with their race network, and more recently they have started neurodiversity and disability mentoring.

They offered work experience to students from diverse backgrounds. Students in their final year of GCSE’s or studying for ‘A’ levels were based in British Gas’s commercial team, gaining exposure to different parts of the business to help prepare them for their future careers.

 

Donna Anderson from Centrica said: “I’ve loved having the opportunity to support someone from a diverse background and at the same time give something back to our society. It really helped me to work with someone who had never had any exposure to my business before and to appreciate the different ages and stages that people come into a working environment and the different needs they might have.

“It helped me as an experienced mentor, to flex my style from working with an adult to an under 16 and adapt my advice and activities to suit the relevant age. Not knowing who my mentee would be, or his background was a great reminder to be open, transparent and provide a safe place for someone to be themselves and to never pre-judge or have bias of anyone regardless of age, race, culture, ability etc.”

 

For more information on Career Accelerator visit: www.careeraccelerator.io

 

[i] https://wiley-edge.idstud.io/edge/site/assets/files/1084/wiley_edge_-_diversity_in_tech_report_-_uk_-_13092022.pdf

[ii] https://www.businessinnovationmag.co.uk/uk-tech-job-opportunities-hit-a-10-year-high-with-rise-in-digital-services-driving-demand/

Accountancy & Accounts, Career Development, Careers, News

Inspiring the next generation of accountants and auditors in ‘National Careers Week’ : The Sayer Vincent team have their say

In National Careers Week (6th to 11th March) – a week that focuses on career guidance[i], Sayer Vincent, a firm of charity auditors and advisers is highlighting the benefits of an accountancy and auditing career and one with a real purpose.

The financial landscape is constantly changing. As the pace of change speeds up, professional accountants will need to learn how to adapt in this changing environment.  We are developing a Level 7 Apprenticeship in Accountancy programme which will equip team members with the skills and behaviours that will enable them to thrive. It’s about learning on the job and owning your development. Embedding key competencies of value-added provision, self-evaluation and a focus on continuous improvement will create the foundations for a successful career.  The apprenticeship sits alongside SV’s own internal development programme which reinforces these competencies.

New team members work alongside experienced auditors on audit and advisory work and gain a thorough understanding of the key challenges facing charities and social purpose organisations.

 

Jonathan Orchard, Partner at Sayer Vincent said: “Learning and development is at the core of SV We have been taking a cohort of graduates every year for over 30 years to train and qualify with us. In National Careers Week, we want to inspire the next generation of auditors by showcasing the career opportunities within SV and the charity sector.

“The charity sector is so varied, and we work with all sorts of charities who are at the forefront of dealing with some of the most pressing issues in the UK and globally. We work with humanitarian relief organisations, social care providers, environmental charities, museums and arts organisations and many more. Those considering an accountancy qualification can gain skills and experience whilst working with us enabling them to make a valuable contribution to the work charities do.”

“After qualification, many of our team decide to stay and play more senior or specialist roles within SV. But we are also proud of the number who go on to take finance roles within charities – providing a lasting benefit to the sector. We have former SV team members in roles at Comic Relief, WaterAid, Natural History Museum, Diabetes UK, MacMillan – to name a few. Another is with the World Food Programme in Rome.”

 

Three members of the SV team have spoken about what attracted them to accountancy and training at Sayer Vincent:

 

Sean Khosla

Sean Khosla who has been with the firm just over a year said: “What attracted me most to Sayer Vincent is the firm works exclusively with charities. When I started my career in finance, I wanted my work to have a sense of purpose. Working in a more “soul-crushing”, corporate environment wouldn’t have given me that sort of purpose.

“One of the key benefits of the training is the variety of clients we work with. They range from small clients with a couple of charity shops who work on paper-based systems to larger clients with massive accounting software packages. This varied experience and exposure is very helpful, and quite eye-opening.”

Rebecca Jones

Rebecca Jones joined Sayer Vincent in May 2022 said: “After seeing the advert for Sayer Vincent, I was absolutely sold.  I loved that they work with clients who are making a difference in society, not just about making money.  I knew it was for me.When I was looking into accountancy, I knew I’d be good with the numbers, and being analytical. Part of why I was interested is also that it can take you anywhere – accountants are always needed, and I thought that was very useful. My experience working here has been fantastic. I feel like I’ve come home. Everyone is so supportive, friendly and wants you to do well.”

Joel Hayhow

Finally, Joel Hayhow joined Sayer Vincent in July 2022 after being a teacher for four years. He said: “The role is quite different from the classroom, and I appreciated being able to change career into accountancy. I really enjoy the ownership of time which we get. We have deadlines of course, but we’re allowed to decide how to use our time to meet the deadline.

“I highly recommend the training because of the support we receive. We have an ACA Training Manager, who we meet with regularly and who supports us in our appraisals and how we engage with training at First Intuition, who is our training provider. As the firm is small, from very early on we see how the audit progresses from planning, to testing, to finalisation.  I’ve really enjoyed learning and the clients that we work with and highly recommend working at Sayer Vincent.”

 

To find out more about the training opportunities and current roles at Sayer Vincent visit: www.sayervincent.co.uk/work-for-us.

[i] https://nationalcareersweek.com/

Careers, Healthcare, News, Northamptonshire

Rhys Walden doesn’t let disability hold him back from his dream career as an occupational therapist

People who thought a disability would ruin one man’s shot at education have been proven wrong now he’s achieved a top class allied health degree.

Rhys Walden, 30 years old, who comes from Northampton, graduated with a first class degree in Occupational Therapy from the University of Northampton (UON) last year. He is now six months into his role as an occupational therapist with North Northamptonshire Council’s Community Occupational Therapy team.

Rhys has cerebral palsy, a lifelong condition that affects movement and coordination. He first encountered occupational therapy after his Mum had a brain haemorrhage. When she was discharged from hospital, the friendly occupational therapy team helped her adapt to getting the most out of life until she fully recovered.

This is when the seed to become an occupational therapist was first planted, but when Rhys left school at 18 he wasn’t ready academically. At the time going to university wasn’t even a consideration so he went to college to do an accountancy qualification. After this though he realised that he wanted to work with people rather than numbers.

He left college and did various admin jobs, including an admin role at St Andrew’s Healthcare. It was here that he learnt more about what being an occupational therapist (OT) entails and he decided it was what he was going to do.

Although Rhys was a late bloomer for university, having had a knock-back after being told his disability meant he’d never be able to go into higher education, he is someone who is up for a challenge – and tackling it – after being bitten by the ‘OT bug’.

He said: “I’ve known of the UON course for some time as friends of mine are graduates, but academia was never my strong point. I was never predicted good grades; in fact, I was told at school and college to just do as well as I could.

“I have cerebral palsy hydrocephalus (a blockage in the brain) which means I have irregularities in my cerebral spinal fluid. Because of this, I had some brain damage as a child that left me with a mild learning disability, but I’ve never let that hold me back.

“My parents have been the driving force behind me my entire life. They taught me that, if things are a challenge, that it is really an opportunity in disguise with the potential for personal growth. University was always going to be on the table if I wanted it. And I wanted to become an occupational therapist with University of Northampton.”

At 26 years old Rhys applied and got onto the OT degree course at UON. Before starting he spoke to the university about his disability and they reassured him he would be fine. He said: “Their whole approach and willingness to support me told me it was the right place for me. As they said it wouldn’t be a very good OT course if they couldn’t adapt to my disabilities.

“Before starting the course, I had an assessment with the University’s ASSIST team. They helped sort out lots of things that would support my learning, such as installing specialist software on my laptop to record, transcribe and read out my classes. I’m an auditory learner and this way I could digest large chunks of information within half the time if I had tried to read it.

“I had unwavering, unparalleled support from UON staff and other students. Even when the pandemic came about and I had to ‘shield’ for almost the whole of those two years, the teams here helped. If I phoned up and asked for book chapters to be scanned and sent to me, the library staff were more than happy to do that. My peers were understanding and supportive and were there if I needed to talk though something being taught. I’ve never experienced that level of dedication to my progression. I feel like I’m an entirely different adult to the one who started the degree.”

In recognition of his incredible work and progress, Rhys received the Sara Simons Award when he graduated with a First Class honours degree. Sara was practice lead for occupational therapy at the University of Northampton before her retirement in 2018 and the award recognises practice excellence and students who have overcome adversity.

He is now enjoying his first job in the role he’s dreamt of doing for so long. He adds: “I wanted to work in community physical health (the team that supports people like me and my mum to live at home) before I started at the University so perhaps there’s some fate in my working in my field of choice. The Council’s service is hugely supportive of me and very open-minded about the benefits of having a practitioner who also happens to have a disability.

“I love the variety of the job, there’s never a dull day and no two people I support are ever the same. I feel privileged to work with people who are going through a difficult time. I’ve achieved more than I – or others – ever thought possible and hope to go on exceeding expectations, but now for my service users as well as myself and my family.”

Find out more about Occupational Therapy (BSc) and the Advanced MSc course at the University of Northampton.

Careers, Health

Thinking about becoming a dental nurse?

Becoming a dental nurse is a great job, especially for those who want to get a foot in the door of the dentistry profession and who also want to learn everything from an amazing dentist. If you are thinking about becoming a dental nurse, but you don’t know if you want to pull the trigger on the job yet, then here’s everything you need to know about the dental nursing profession.

What Does A Dental Nurse Do?

A dental nurse is basically the sidekick of the dentist (you even have the dental nursing uniform to go with it!) What this means is that they support the dentist in every aspect of caring for the patient, from start to finish. Being a dental nurse requires you to be a jack of all trades and it can be a fun and varied job.

You will be responsible for all the records of the patient, preparing the instruments for use with the patient and preparing everything for the dental procedures, and doing some of the basic tasks before the dentist comes in and takes a look. If the dentist has a request or needs something, then you will be there to fulfill it.

Qualifications For Being A Dental Nurse

Most dental nurses start out as trainee dental nurses, which requires no formal qualifications or specialized training. You can work as a trainee dental nurse under a dentist for a long time, and many nurses do. However, if you want to earn more money and carry out more specific dental procedures, then you will need to qualify as a dental nurse. 

This requires studying and an apprenticeship under a qualified dentist, or you can take a dental nurse course to get a General Dental Council (GDC) approved qualification. Check with the course provider and see what qualifications need to be completed before you can sign up for and complete the courses. 

Most of the time these courses can be done in person or online, and you can complete the studying while you work as many dental courses will want at least some years of experience as well.

Key Skills And Key Roles

Once you get all the training done, you will need to have some key skills in order to do your best job as a dental nurse. For example, one of those skills is going to be communication because you will be working with patients the majority of the time. Being able to talk and listen to them, as well as communicate about any dental problems that they might have is going to require some skills. Additionally, you should be able to work well under pressure and be able to multitask as there will be busy days at the office where you need to work with several patients at once.

Additionally, computer literacy is going to be very helpful too, because you will be interacting with the internet to access patient records and x-ray images. Dentist offices possess a lot of technology, and you need to be well versed in all of it to help out the dentist.

Finally, you need to have good management skills. Whether you are managing the dentist’s timetable or keeping track of instruments and inventory, you will be responsible for keeping a lot of things on track.

What Is The Future Like For A Dental Nurse?

If you are looking towards the future whenever it comes to your dental nursing work, then you’ve got a bright one. For example, you can become a dentist because you are already experiencing 90% of the work that a traditional dentist does each day. Or you can use your dental nursing experience to eventually open and run your own dental office, where you can hire nurses yourself instead of being one.

But the education and the life experience required to become a dental nurse means that you will have a lot of career options open to you as you start your dental career, especially for well experienced dental nurses because offices are always looking for those! 

Get Started Becoming A Dental Nurse

Whether you choose to learn from a dentist on the job or you decide to take education and learn that way, you will be able to become a dental nurse in short order. It is a fun and interesting job where no two days are alike, and you can easily use your dental nurse experiences to grow and advance your career in the dental industry. 

Careers, Job Opportunities, Jobs, News

LinkedIn Reveals the Fastest-Growing Jobs in the UK as 20 Million Brits Consider Changing Jobs in 2023

  • LinkedIn’s Jobs on the Rise list for 2023 shows that climate change, cyber threats, and the need to drive business growth shape the top 15 fastest growing roles 
  • LinkedIn platform data shows labour market remains tight and that companies still need to work hard to attract and retain talent
  • Despite economic uncertainty, 20 million* Brits are considering changing roles in 2023, according to new research – with 50% say they’re confident securing a new job
  • LinkedIn is supporting professionals with free training to learn skills to land new jobs 

Amidst economic uncertainty, LinkedIn’s latest Jobs on The Rise list shows that jobs including Sustainability Manager, Customer Success Consultant, Security Operations Centre Analyst, and Chief Growth Officer are among the fastest-growing in the UK.

This comes as new research from LinkedIn, the world’s largest professional network, reveals that almost 20 million* Brits are considering changing roles in 2023, with half (50%) saying they’re confident in securing a new job, and just under 1 in 5 saying they are not confident (19%).

While hiring is slowing globally, LinkedIn data shows that challenges presented by climate change, cyber threats, and the need to drive business growth are creating opportunities for professionals in 2023.

As companies grapple with the need to boost sustainability there has been a noticeable rise in the number of green jobs. In the UK, Sustainability Manager is ranked as the second fastest growing job role, and it also features in the Jobs on the Rise lists in 13 countries, including in Australia, Brazil, France, Germany, India, Saudi Arabia and the United States.

LinkedIn’s data also shows that the labour market remains tight by historic standards, meaning there are opportunities for people with the right skills who are looking for work and on average there isn’t fierce competition for roles. For example, there are two active applicants for every open role in the UK.

Ngaire Moyes, UK Country Manager, LinkedIn said: “While economic uncertainty is likely to continue through 2023, it’s encouraging to see how optimistic the UK workforce is feeling, with up to 20 million considering a new role this year. Our platform data shows that there is opportunity out there for job seekers – particularly in areas that are tackling some of the UK’s greatest challenges such as climate change, cyber security, and business growth. With the labour market still relatively tight, companies will need to work hard to attract and retain talent in the months ahead.”

Alex Fleming, Regional President of Northern Europe, UK & Ireland, Adecco said: “At Adecco, we also believe the labour market will remain historically competitive for employers in 2023. Plus crucially, the biggest future of work trend in 2023 and beyond is that the world is facing a skills gap. As much as 85% of all jobs in 2030 have not been invented yet. Just take the transition to the green economy: You need to build the green skills first. So in order to remain attractive and competitive, companies must become better equipped in managing and matching skills and potential, versus protecting specific jobs or focusing on job profiles and experience only.”

The UK’s Top 15 Fastest-Growing Jobs*:

 

Rank UK
1 Customer Success Consultant
2 Sustainability Manager
3 Product Operations Manager
4 Sales Development Representative
5 Chief Growth Officer
6 Enterprise Account Executive
7 Growth Marketing Manager
8 Cloud Engineer
9 Business Development Representative
10 Chief People Officer
11 Data Science Manager
12 Site Reliability Engineer
13 Data Engineer
14 Security Operations Centre Analyst
15 Workplace Coordinator

 

Helping companies to attract talent

LinkedIn has created a number of tools to help companies and organisations recruit amidst a historically tight labour market. With jobseekers increasingly evaluating prospective employers based on their values, LinkedIn’s Commitments feature helps companies showcase on their Company Page their action around diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI), environmental sustainability, social impact, career growth and learning, and work-life balance. LinkedIn’s Global Talent Trends report also shares insights on how companies can attract top talent, particularly by creating greater workplace flexibility and career development opportunities.

 

Free LinkedIn Skills Training to Support Job Seekers

New research from LinkedIn finds that despite the economic uncertainty, 60% of people globally are currently considering changing roles in 2023. The UK sits near the top of the list with 60% considering switching jobs in 2023, closely followed by Australia (59%), Ireland (59%) and Italy Italy (54%). Demand for higher salaries remains the biggest motivator for UK employees wanting to leave a current role (36%), with an increase in salary the biggest factor (42%) that would influence them to stay.

To support job seekers, LinkedIn is hosting a packed line-up of inspirational content and live chats on the platform offering practical career advice and job seeking tips from voices in the know. LinkedIn is also unlocking free LinkedIn Learning courses to support professionals in their next career move.

 

Careers, Job Opportunities, Jobs

New Year, new career – why Homesitting could be the ideal choice in 2023

In January, many people consider moving jobs or starting a new career.  For retired people or those nearing retirement many may also be looking for something new to challenge them and top up their pension income. The cost of living crisis is hitting most people’s pockets, but for older people on fixed incomes some can be finding it a struggle. Going back to some sort of paid work is therefore an option.

Research at the end of last year from Royal London[i] revealed that 58% of people aged 55+ say they would consider working in retirement as a way to weather the current economic storm, nearly half (40%) say they would work if it enabled them to do more things they enjoyed and 45% say they would work if they were struggling to pay their bills.

This follows a survey in August from My Pension Expert[ii] which highlighted a growing trend to ‘unretire’ as people in retirement look to bolster their retirement finances by working again.

People may not be able to face the typical nine to five again but there are jobs such as becoming a home and pet sitter that can boost people’s pension income, as well as make savings on energy bills if they do lots of assignments during the colder months.

Homesitting is the ideal flexible role for people looking to do something different, get out and about more exploring the UK and also spending time with pets. It involves staying in people’s homes when they go on holiday, taking care of the home and any pets.

Home and pet sitting is a rewarding role and the chance to have lots of mini adventures staying in new places without paying for a hotel or B&B. As well as a modest remuneration, homesitters get a food allowance and mileage. Many of our homesitters use this extra money to enjoy occasional pub lunches out or put it towards a holiday fund.

One retired couple enjoying home and pet sitting are Sue and Gordon Heels who are in their mid-sixties and from Bedfordshire. They joined Homesitters Ltd over ten years ago when Gordon was preparing to retire from his job as an engineering technician for a communications company and Sue was still working at a local authority.

Having both led such busy life they were both quite apprehensive about how they would adjust to a quiet retirement. They thought that being homesitters might be the perfect role for them – a flexible form of employment that comes with responsibility and purpose.

Sue and Gordon don’t own any pets so one of the biggest attractions for them is looking after other people’s animals and in particular, dogs. They love dog walking and the fact it gives them a chance to get out into the countryside and keep fit, whatever the weather.

They also relish the fact that homesitting gives them a complete change of scene and a break from their normal routine. Living on a main road, they appreciate staying in homes in the countryside and one of their regular clients has a home surrounded by woodland and a range of pets to look after including goats, chickens, guinea fowl and a cockerel.

When they visit this client, they take daily walks through the beautiful woodland, which is thick with bluebells in the spring, sit and listen to the birds’ song and spend time star gazing at night as there is no street lighting. They say it is a real contrast to their normal life.

Sue said: “One of the things we love is that we do it together. At home we tend to do our own thing, but on assignments we work as a team and spend quality time taking the dogs for walks together. We go to church on Sundays and when we are homesitting on weekends we find a local church to attend. We’ve made new friends at churches across the country.”

The couple are also lucky to have a regular client with an indoor swimming pool they can use every day when they stay there. Many of the homes they’ve stayed in are beautifully decorated, including a grand Victorian house lovingly restored to its former glory.

Sue adds: “It was such a pleasure to sleep in a bedroom with a beautiful antique crystal chandelier. We don’t have much art in our own home but we’ve stayed in homes with beautiful paintings and sculptures. We have also met some really interesting and successful people, many of whom have become friends.

Homesitters is now recruiting new Homesitters for 2023. They are busier than ever after the pandemic years as more people have pets and are now back taking holidays and they are looking to double the number of home and pet sitters this year.

Homesitters Ltd are different to many other pet sitting agencies in that all the homesitters are employed and insured, and they provide 24/7 back up support for homesitters on assignment. Homesitters also meet clients and their pets beforehand to be briefed on the home and the pets’ routine to ensure the assignment goes smoothly.

For more information on becoming and homesitter, click here.

 

[i] https://www.thehrdirector.com/business-news/pensions/part-time-working-retirement-increase/?utm_source=newsletter&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=part_time_working_in_retirement_is_rising&utm_term=2022-12-05

[ii] https://mypensionexpert.com/2022/08/26/the-true-impact-of-the-cost-of-living-crisis-on-pension-plans-revealed/

Careers, Healthcare, Jobs, News, Northamptonshire, Northants, Wellbeing

The University of Northampton shines a light on a career in Occupational Therapy during Occupational Therapy Week (7-13 November)

This week is Occupational Therapy week (OT week)[i] and the University of Northampton, and leading healthcare providers in Northamptonshire are shining a light on opportunities to train for a career in occupational therapy, as well as current job opportunities across Northamptonshire.

OT week, organised by the Royal College of Occupational Therapists (RCOT), aims to raise the profile of occupational therapy with a campaign called ‘Lift Up Your Everyday’.

Occupational therapists play an important role in looking after the nation’s health by supporting people to overcome the challenges of everyday life resulting from illness, trauma and ageing and the role is increasingly in demand. A survey from the RCOT found that 85% of OT’s report an increase in the number of people seeking children’s services[ii] and 82% said there was an increased demand for OT led rehabilitation[iii].

As well as working with individual patients and their families, occupational therapists could also work with groups, or as part of a multidisciplinary team in hospitals, clinics, charities, prisons and social services departments[iv].

 

“Helping others overcome barriers to leading a meaningful life is a truly fulfilling vocation”

Oliver Perry recently graduated from the University of Northampton and now works as  an occupational therapist in a Neurological Rehabilitation Centre in Northamptonshire.

Oliver says, “Occupational Therapy is a remarkably diverse and unique form of healthcare. The profession offers an incredible variety of opportunities across many health and social care settings, working with equally varied patient populations.

I am an advocate for the profession, having seen the real-life impact occupational therapy can bring. I would encourage any student who is motivated to positively impact the lives of others to study occupational therapy. Supporting others in overcoming barriers to leading a meaningful life is a truly fulfilling vocation.”

Undergraduate study at UON encompasses a combination of lectures, seminars, workshops and assignments. Taught modules will serve to prepare students to apply Occupational Theory to any practice placement.

Whether working to support dementia patients in their own homes, providing strategies to enable children to manage at school or delivering education to carers and family, occupational therapy has a key role play.

The route to becoming an occupational therapist is via a degree in occupational therapy at university or an apprenticeship degree. The University of Northampton is one of the top 10 institutions for occupational therapy and offers a BSc Occupational Therapy degree which prepares people to work as a registered occupational therapist in the UK and overseas.

Open Days Planned in November, December and January

The university is hosting several open days on 19 November, 7 and 10 December and 14 January for those considering a degree in occupational therapy. Click here for information and to register to attend.

Those already qualified, could also considering furthering their careers by applying for an MSc Advanced Occupational Therapy at Northampton University. This is a post registration masters that can be completed on a full or part time basis.

 

Existing Vacancies

There are also a number of vacancies across Northamptonshire for those wanting to progress their career. These include:

 

  • Occupational therapist opportunities at NHFT for full-time and part-time physio and occupational therapists in the community rapid response, intermediate care team based in both Kettering and Northamptonshire supporting people across the county. This is a Band 5 role with a salary of £27,055 to £32,934 per year. Closing date is 14 November 2022.

 

  • Senior occupational therapist at St Andrews Healthcare, a leading provider of specialist healthcare for people with mental disorders, acquired brain injury and progressive neurological conditions. This role is working in the medium secure division with people presenting with a wide range of diagnoses and occupational needs. The salary is £33,275 to £40,000 and the closing date is 30 November 2022.

 

To find out about other vacancies across Northamptonshire visit https://bestofbothworlds.uk.net/

[i] https://www.rcot.co.uk/occupational-therapy-week-2022

[ii] https://www.rcot.co.uk/news/survey-finds-childrens-services-crisis-point

[iii] https://www.rcot.co.uk/rehabilitation-workforce-survey

[iv] https://www.healthcareers.nhs.uk/explore-roles/allied-health-professionals/roles-allied-health-professions/occupational-therapist