There are many job markets across the West Midlands. You can find specific information on these areas:
For effective job searching you could start by looking at vacancies with major employers. Here is a list of major employers who are often recruiting in the West Midlands.
The West Midlands has several expanding businesses so another way to job search is to look at the jobs which are growing across the whole area. Here are some of the main job opportunities linked to major employers:
Advanced manufacturing and engineering
Across the West Midlands we need more engineers to work in areas such as robotics, cyber security, biomedical technology, satellites, driverless vehicles, smart energy, manufacturing equipment and agri-tech Telford & Wrekin, Herefordshire and Shropshire already employ more people in advanced manufacturing and engineering than the UK average.
Jobs
robotics | cyber security | biomedical technology | telecommunications and satellites | driverless vehicles | smart energy | agri-tech | low-carbon technology
automotive | machinery and equipment manufacturing | metals and polymers (such as plastics) | food and drink production
Employers
BAE Systems | Caterpillar | RAF Cosford | Bridgnorth Aluminium | Denso | Stadco | Aga, Cobra Seats, Ricoh, Maxell, Holden Aluminium Technologies | Grainger and Worrall | Doncasters Group | Cedo UK | Bischof and Klein | Classic Motor Cars
But there are many more smaller employers offering a broad range of careers.
Construction
The demand for construction workers is expected to grow because of increase in the building of road and rail links and houses. Herefordshire and Shropshire both already employ more construction workers than the UK average and this is forecast to increase.
This means that 2,800 people will be needed each year to 2021.
Jobs
Carpenters and joiners | Electricians | Bricklayers | Steel erectors and structural fabrication | Construction process managers
Food and drink manufacturing
The wide range of food produced across Shropshire, Herefordshire and Telford & Wrekin means that there are small-scale opportunities in this sector as well as roles within large companies. The Ludlow Food Festival showcases the area’s reputation for celebrating high quality food and there are plenty of smaller food festivals and local farmer’s markets where local food and drink producers can tap into both local and visitor trade.
Local strengths include:
dairy | meat | alcoholic beverages | confectionery | fruit and veg |fresh and frozen products
Linked to the sector is a well-established supply chain in food packaging, equipment manufacturing, materials innovation development and specialist storage and logistics services providing a host of interesting careers.
Jobs
food technologist – chocolatier - marketing professional - quality technician - design engineer - cheese maker - microbial scientist - production planner - environmental technologist - butcher – machinery and equipment technician – line manager
Employers
Arla | Bulmers (Heineken) | Cadbury | Dairy Crest | Müller Wiseman Dairy | Tyrells | Westons Cider | Palethorpes (Pork Farms) | Faccenda | Swancote | S&A Produce | Gamber Magna, Dairy Crest, Heinz, Swancote and Knighton Foods
Health and care
New technologies and discoveries are creating new jobs in health and social care including:
Jobs
patient monitoring | personal diagnostics |robotics |assistive technology | genomic medicine | bioscience | use of apps | genetic research | anti-microbial resistance
Shropshire and Herefordshire already employ more workers in health and care than the UK average.
Employers
Royal Shrewsbury Hospital | Shropshire Community Health NHS Trust | Allied Healthcare | Secant Medical | Wye Valley NHS Trust | Herefordshire Clinical Commissioning Group | Scope | Nuffield Health | Shropdoc | Shropshire Mental Health Trust
Transport and logistics
Across Shropshire, Herefordshire and Telford & Wrekin most people who work in this sector are involved in warehousing, storage and transport by road. Shropshire and Telford & Wrekin both employ more workers in transport and logistics than the UK average.
The new military logistics complex near Telford (MoD Donnington) will provide everything from food to clothing for servicemen and women officers based at home and abroad. This should also create new jobs within the supply chain.
Employers
Royal Mail | Culina Group | The Army |RAF | Grocontinental | Kuehne + Nagel | Wincanton | DHL | Burgoynes
Business and Finance
Technology is constantly changing work in this sector. Artificial intelligence (AI), cyber security, big data management, ecommerce, Fintech and environmental accounting are all predicted to grow over the next few years.
Jobs
sales and customer service roles | HR (human resources) managers | actuaries | legal professionals | ICT experts | accountants | data analysts | business intelligence specialists | management consultants | cyber security experts | digital marketing specialists
Across Shropshire, Herefordshire and Telford & Wrekin, business services combined – from lawyers and accountants to ICT, marketing, HR and sales as well as management and other consultants – make up one of the largest employment sectors.
Employers
As well as big high street names such as Barclays, Halifax, HSBC and Lloyds, there are many small to medium enterprises (SMEs) employing between 1 and 249 people offering a range of jobs in business consultancy, finance and law.