Let’s not sugarcoat it: the UK job market in early 2025 is jittery. Employers are hiring more cautiously, permanent roles are stalling in many sectors, and short-term contracts are suddenly the flavour of the month.
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But it’s not all doom and gloom. Some industries are picking up pace, bouncing back from a sluggish 2024. Others? Still stuck in neutral. Below is your breakdown of where the market’s heating up, and where it’s cooling fast.

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The Boom Sectors‍

(If you’re job hunting, start here.)

Tech (IT & Digital)
After last year’s layoffs and hiring freezes, tech seems to be showing signs of improvement. 

• Employers are increasing hiring for both permanent and contract roles, especially in areas like AI, cyber, and cloud computing.
  
  
• The rebound is real, with companies competing for talent, and increasing salaries or turning to contractors to tackle these shortages.
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• Problem? Still a skills shortage.
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It’s not just coders either. Companies need planners, programme leads, change managers, and client-facing talent. Military roles like signals, intelligence, and systems support? They’re very relevant.

Finance & Accounting‍

The city hasn’t shut its doors, quite the opposite.

• 58% of finance firms are planning to increase permanent headcount.
  
  
• 38% of finance employers are planning on expanding the number of contract roles too, with agility trumping headcount bloat. (
  
  
• Risk, compliance, audit, and commercial finance roles are leading demand, reflective of the sector’s focus on regulatory requirements, tighter fiscal controls, and strategic forecasting.
  
  
• Demand is also growing in fintech, green finance, and areas requiring expertise in advanced analytics and digital transformation.
  
  

Finance is one of the few sectors still offering clarity, progression, and salary stability, ideal for veterans looking for structure without stagnation and for those wanting the city life - as London is driving most of this growth.

Infrastructure, Construction & Engineering

The not-so-silent giant. If you’ve been following us for a while, you’ll notice we’ve been talking about infrastructure for some time now. Here’s why: 

• Infrastructure projects are driving a surge in hiring, from HS2 to energy upgrades, there’s a lot going on in the UK right now.
  
  
• Construction needs 225,000 extra workers by 2027 to meet demand, but not just in traditional roles, there is strong growth in digital engineering, BIM, environmental planning, and operational roles.
  
  
• Salaries are rising to attract skilled professionals, especially in trades and project delivery.
  
  

So it isn’t just hard hats and scaffolding, it covers a lot of roles that are all prime ex-military territory, and taking advantage of the skills gap means you’d be going into roles with good pay, clear career progression and more opportunities for apprenticeships. 

 Manufacturing & Logistics

Steady hands needed, and cool heads. With steady growth, and a lot of pressure on the industry, they need folks who can perform. 

• 3% projected growth in manufacturing in 2025.
  
  
• Logistics is seeing increased hiring to support infrastructure builds and supply chains.
  
  
• Veterans with operations, planning, or mechanical experience are well-placed as you can hit the ground running. 

It’s a solid bet if you’re looking to find a reliable industry for your next career. 

Temporary & Contract Work (across all sectors)

• Now accounts for three-quarters of market value.
  
  
• Particularly strong in IT, finance, and education.
  
  
• Employers want flexibility without long-term risk, so short-term roles are booming.
  
  

If you’re open to contract roles, there can be a lot of advantages. For example, high pay, no office politics, try-before-you-commit, fast entry, etc. However, you need to be comfortable with short notice, rolling contracts and the odd role that disappears before you begin. 

The Sectors in Slump

Key Takeaways: The Civilian Job Map, 2025 Edition

• Growth is selective. A few sectors are hiring fast (tech, finance, infrastructure), while others are pulling back.
  
  
• Contract roles are king. Employers want low-risk, flexible talent. Good if you’re still transitioning or trialling sectors.
  
  
• Skills shortages persist. Especially in high-skill fields like engineering, digital, and accounting. Transferable skills matter more than ever.
  
  
• Cost pressures are hitting hard. Some industries are simply trying to survive. That means fewer jobs, more competition.
  
  

And What About Veterans?

Here’s the bit that matters if you’re in the armed forces community or about to leave service:

• The best ex-army, navy, RAF or marine careers in civvy street are increasingly project-based, digital, or delivery-led. Think infrastructure ops, finance support, digital transformation, logistics coordination.
  
  
• Military roles like engineering, comms, and leadership translate particularly well into the infrastructure, tech, and finance sectors.
  
  
• And they’re not dead-end jobs, they’re careers that will take you somewhere. Jobs with long-term progression, good pay, and a clear mission.
  
  
• Employers are hiring, but they need help understanding your skillset, that’s where platforms like ours come in.
  
  

At Redeployable, we leverage AI to make career resettlement simple, transparent, and tailored to you.

We help you translate military experience into skills employers understand, match you with the right sectors, and avoid time-wasting guesswork.

So if you're tired of generic advice, vague job boards, or being told to "just start networking", we've got a better way.

Click here to start.

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