Career Paths

Scotland’s National Health Service (NHS) is the biggest employer in the country, providing jobs to people in more than 70 different professions. This means that there are lots of exciting opportunities up and down the country for people looking to work in the health and social care sector.

We actively encourage applications from qualified staff from outside the UK, which makes Scotland the perfect match for your career aspirations. So whether you’re a trained medical or nursing professional, an allied health professional, healthcare scientist or have experience in other areas of the healthcare industry - like administrative or support services - come and check us out.

Teaching is one of the most rewarding professions out there, and Scotland is a great place to embark on a career in teaching. After all, we’ve led the world in our commitment to excellence in education for centuries. We were actually the first country in the world to provide universal education to boys and girls, way back in the 17th Century.

In Scotland, you can enjoy the satisfaction of a career that’s personally challenging while offering a competitive salary, excellent pension scheme, career development prospects and a generous holiday entitlement.

Connecting to Scotland’s tech industry couldn’t be easier, with the right companies, resources and infrastructure all at your front door. It’s easy to see why global companies like CGI, Hewlett Packard and Outplay chose Scotland as their home.

Each year more than 10,000 students graduate in software and digital-related disciplines from Scottish universities. On top of this, Scotland currently employs over 161,000 people in more than 10,000 technology and engineering companies, emphasising our commitment to the technology sector.

If you’re looking for a job in the sciences, it might interest you to know that Scotland is home to one of the largest life science clusters in Europe. Our pioneering research, alongside nearby hospitals, drug clinics and world-renowned organisations means that, in Scotland, you can bring new concepts to life and life-changing products to market.

From hands-on scientist, technologist and researcher to CEOs and sales and marketing, there are exciting opportunities at every level. Moving to Scotland could be the breakthrough you’re looking for!

Scotland’s decades of experience in the North Sea means that we’re recognised as a global hub for the oil and gas industry. We’re also at the forefront of pioneering renewable energy sources. This combination makes Scotland the ideal place to work in the energy sectors.

Our coastline is well-served by our ports network, ensuring we’re well connected to the rest of the UK, Europe and the world. No matter what part of the industry you’re looking for work in, Scotland has a vast and diverse selection of opportunities.

We’re at the top of our game when it comes to creative industries and there are lots of amazing opportunities across Scotland. From advertising, architecture and the performing arts to fashion, music, photography, film and television these are just a snippet of the different careers in which you can flourish in Scotland.

Chief amongst the creative industries is Scotland’s pioneering game development industry, which rivals that of London, Vancouver and L.A. Here you can find opportunities in areas such as art, design, audio, production management, programming and marketing.

From ambitious new start-ups to established industry players like Rockstar North, Scotland is at the forefront of game development. Here you can work collaboratively and delve into new areas including real-world medical research, broadcast, finance and the arts.

We have plenty of experience when it comes to financial services. As the birthplace of one of the oldest banks in the world, Scotland is a leading country in the financial services industry. As well as a host of home-grown, Scottish financial companies like Standard Life, we’re also home to the headquarters of some of the world’s largest financial institutions, such as HSBC and JP Morgan.

More and more finance companies are choosing to set up shop in Scotland. Whether you’re looking for a job in banking, savings and investments, insurance, or any other area of financial services, Scotland really has it all!

Scotland fully embraces the importance of social enterprises in the modern world, which provide a dynamic, ethical and more sustainable way of doing business. We are home to many successful social enterprises, with companies like Social Bite and The Big Issue doing amazing work and dedicating 100% of their profits to worthy causes.

There are currently more than 5600 social enterprises in Scotland providing around 81,000 jobs. And with approximately 300 new enterprises formed each year, there are some amazing opportunities across Scotland.