Growth sectors in Wales
While some industries in Wales have been hit hard by the recession with sharp falls in the numbers employed in the agricultural, manufacturing, retail and banking sectors - others seem to be weathering the storm remarkably well.
If you're looking for a career in an industry which is on the up, you might like to consider the following areas.
IT and technology
There are currently more than 400 technology firms employing over 33,000 IT professionals across Wales - including international leaders such as LogicaCMG, Fujitsu Services, EDS, International Rectifiers, EADS, Sony and IBM.
Procurement and research opportunities
The industry seems to be going from strength to strength with over £250m in public sector procurement opportunities expected for 2010 and the Welsh Assembly Government actively promoting research partnerships between the country's universities and industry leaders such as NASA, Orange, O2, Motorola, EADS and General Dynamics.
Working with data
Wales is also home to BT's £90m state of the art data centre in Cardiff Bay which acts as premier provider of the UK's e-business solutions. An additional £220m 'green' data centre project is currently underway in Newport, promising to create a further 100 hi-tech jobs.
The UK economy will require an average of 141,000 new IT professionals every year for the next four years*
*E-skills Technology Counts IT & Telecoms Insights 2008
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Energy and environmental management
The Welsh Assembly Government has identified the energy and environmental sectors as among the most important for the sustainable growth of the Welsh economy. With the country's ambitious targets for renewable energy and abundance of green energy resources - it's not hard to see why things are looking up in this sector.
Water technologies
There are a variety of big names in water technology already operating in Wales - including AMEC, Balfour Beatty, Biwater, Halcrow, BB&V, Mott McDonald, Parsons Brinckerhoff and DV Howells.
Increased legislation and the proposed upgrades of much of the UK's water system are continuing to open up major new opportunities for firms across the region.
Recycling
The UK waste management industry is anticipated to grow by 7% a year, with even faster growth predicted in the recycling and reuse sub-sectors. This is set to create an £11 billion industry by 2010.
There are currently over 400 recovery and recycling companies already established in Wales, poised to take advantage of the opportunities that will come from higher government targets and the rising cost of raw materials.
Environmental consultancy
UK-based environmental consultancies have seen growth of around 10% since 2000 with further growth forecast through drivers such as environmental compliance, investment in infrastructure, construction, and increased corporate responsibility.
Wales is currently the base for a growing and highly diverse number of environmental consultancies, primarily in the areas of contaminated land remediation, environmental impact assessment, waste, water, and wastewater management.
The proposed tidal barrage across the Severn estuary, the redevelopment of the Corus site in Ebbw Vale, the search for new wind farm sites and the Defence Training Review at all present major future opportunities for the region.
According to Energy and Utility Skills - the Sector Skills Council for electricity, gas, waste management and water industries - nearly half of their work force will retire over the next 10 years.
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Creative industries
The UK has the largest creative sector in the EU, directly employing around 1.1 million people, with a further 800,000 working in creative occupations. Typical creative industries include:
- Advertising
- Architecture
- Fashion
- Film and video
- Software and computer services
- Music
- Television and radio
Wales' thriving activity within this sector has made it an attractive place for companies to invest, resulting in a good range of employment options for talented creative people.
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