Career Coaching
in Scotland

Employment Landscape

Scotland’s job market in early 2026 reflects a patchwork of modest opportunity and visible strain. In the energy sector, Scottish Power’s transmission division is rapidly expanding—from around 1,200 to 2,600 jobs—as part of the shift to renewables, while National Grid and SSE are also hiring aggressively to upgrade electricity infrastructure. Simultaneously, long‑standing oil and gas employers such as the Grangemouth refinery are downsizing, which has hit Aberdeen’s employment figures hard. The food manufacturing sector has seen recent job contractions, with closures like the New World Foods plant in Forres shedding dozens of roles. At the same time universities across the country are imposing staff reductions, with institutions such as Edinburgh Napier, Dundee, and the University of Edinburgh offering voluntary severance. Overall, job seekers will find strength in energy and renewables roles, but face tighter demand in education, manufacturing, and legacy industries, compounded by regional staff shortages and cost pressures on firms.

Dominant Industries

Typical Roles

Hiring Patterns

Hiring is clearly growing in electricity transmission and renewables, with major employers expanding workforces to support infrastructure upgrades. At the same time, oil and gas-related jobs are contracting, universities are trimming staff, and food manufacturing has seen closures. Recruitment remains competitive and uneven across sectors.

"In Scotland right now, the greener energy jobs are tangible—but that comes hand in hand with pain in old industries and the reality that competition is real for every opening."