The UK remains as one of the world’s top economies today with the help of its excellent education system; skilled workforce; and effective government policies, on top of its tourist-friendly nature. Given these reasons, the UK is a top destination for pursuits of career advancement for many.

Having said that, deciding on which career path to take is no easy task. To get you an idea of what the UK can provide you, we have compiled a list of the country’s largest industries that are worth interning in.

Without further ado, let’s dive right in!

Business Development

The UK economy is among the top 10 largest economies in the world. It is also one of the most competitive markets out there with UK-based companies like BP, Unilever, and Barclays as leaders in their respective industries. However, the main driving force of the country’s resilient economy is the SMEs where 60% of the employment in the private sector comes from.

It is relatively easy for foreigners to establish new operations in the UK in a variety of fields from pharmaceuticals to marketing and arts. The UK’s creative industry, mainly powered by start-ups and small businesses, contributes more to the economy than science and aerospace. What’s more is that the UK legal system was designed to protect the employees. This makes it easy for the UK to retain international talents.

Technology

The UK ranks first in Europe for digital technology advancement and third in the world for investment thereof due to the high level of technological literacy among the British population, supportive public policies, and vast investment country-wide. Leading the way with digital healthcare, the outreach of digital technology, including edtech and fintech, is at an all time high in the past two years. With startup unicorns stepping into the game, the nation is on the right path towards a full-fledged digital hub.

The growth of the technology sector is predicted to be prolonged post-pandemic. Many (non) UK-based companies are turning towards creating their own digital presence to adapt to the changing technology scene in the UK, creating a room for more creativity and innovation. Thus, the UK’s technology sector will be working towards an user oriented future.

Finance

The UK’s financial services industry injected over £164.8 billion into the country’s economy in 2020, putting it in third place in relation to industry sizes and economic output, according to the OECD report. To say that this British sector is one of the major forces that contribute to the prosperity of the country is not an understatement— with all 1.1 million careers in this sector make up approximately 3.3% of total employment in the UK.

That said, the future of this mega sector is hopeful and bright with more global financial provider firms looking into opening more operations in the UK in 2022 and years to come despite the impeding economic growth as a result of the pandemic. The confidence in the UK financial sector remains consistent thanks to the market’s maturity and the optimistic long-term economic growth. Ultimately, for internship seekers this means the opening up of a wider range of new internship opportunities for young professionals to shop for.

Design

The UK is home to many globally famous designers like Alexander McQueen and Zandra Rhodes. Design has become a crucial part of the development of successful businesses; especially in areas of exports. In fact, the design industry contributes over 35% of the UK’s exports as a whole. In recent years, digital advertising surged by 5% as online shopping grew in popularity. This particular segment is estimated to rise even more in the near future.

(Source: Pexels)

The future of the design industry in the UK is expanding into other disciplines such as sustainability, and the realms of highly advanced technological developments. With growing interests and importance of design in the UK cities and societies, the sector is striving towards a more dynamic and consumer-focused future.

Non-profit & NGO

Many of the world’s top international human rights NGOs have bases in the UK. The country itself produces some of the world’s leading international NGOs namely Oxfam, Amnesty International, and Human Rights Watch. Upon a more thorough inspection, over 40% of the country’s NGOs are being directly funded by the general public. This sector is not going to be underfunded any time soon..!

In spite of the pandemic and its immediate effect of economic decline, the sector is not short of financial support as the demands for international aid remain high. As the UK opens up its borders for international tourism and the economy is expected to pick up its pace, the future is bright for the nation’s non-profit and NGO sector.

There you have it, five of the UK's most thriving industries! We hope that this gives you an idea of what, and where, to look for in an internship. If you still don’t know where to start on your career development journey? Let AIP help you find the right internship!

AIP offers fully customized internships in fields of your interest. For more information on internship opportunities, please visit our website here.

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