Scotland’s recruitment landscape: What’s driving hiring peaks in 2025?

As we pass the halfway point of 2025, Scotland’s job market is showing real resilience, but there is no doubt that there continues to be clear challenges. In my view, the focus for both recruiters and hiring managers is to understand what’s driving demand in 2025, where the peaks are forming, and how to navigate the skills gap where they exist.

Let’s dive into the current labour market trends, assess what’s shaping them, and where people who are hiring should be focusing next.

Scottish market momentum: signs of strength

Despite global uncertainty and a cooling labour market in 2024, Scotland has rebounded with an impressive strength:

• A total of 47,605 job vacancies were advertis.ed in March 2025 - a 14% increase year-on-year
• While we haven’t returned to 2022’s post-pandemic boom (over 74,000 roles in March that year), this is a clear sign of demand recovery.

However, vacancies are now stabilising at pre-pandemic levels. This “new normal” reflects a more selective and strategic hiring pattern, employers are recruiting, but they’re more targeted than ever. 

Let’s drill down to see what sectors a leading the charge.

Sectors powering the peaks:

1) Technology & Professional Services

• TMT (Technology, Media & Telecoms) roles grew 25% year on year.
  Professional Services made up 18% of all advertised roles.
• Scotland’s emerging A.I.  ecosystem (including a planned £4bn data campus near Motherwell) is stimulating demand.

2) Renewables & Green Jobs

Scotland now generates 113% of its electricity from renewables, with major investments including:

• A £2bn subsea cable factory bringing 900 jobs and 200 apprenticeships.
• ScottishPower’s £5.4bn grid upgrade, supporting 1,000 new hires in 2026 alone.

Green job postings are 5.6% of all roles outpacing the UK average.

3) Construction, Engineering & Skilled Trades

Engineering faces a 58% workforce shortfall by 2027.

Net-zero infrastructure projects are creating intense demand for:
Electricians, HVAC techs, retrofit specialists, energy auditors. 

Employers are now hiring based on capabilities, not just credentials.
AI and green economy skills are seeing 23%+ salary premiums, even without formal degrees.

Demographic shifts

Ageing populations and early retirements have created persistent talent shortages.
This is especially true in health, engineering, and social care.

What should recruiters focus on?

As trusted advisors, recruiters and hiring managers are essential both in helping organisations adapt and supporting candidates on the next step of their career journey.

Here’s how:

Target high-growth sectors: Technology, green energy, construction, care.
Promote skills-first hiring: Credentials still matter but they’re no longer everything.

Bridge the gap: Work with providers offering upskilling, apprenticeships, and conversion training.

Retention is key: Encourage employers to invest in well-being, flexibility, and career pathways.

Greg’s final thoughts

Scotland’s labour market is no longer in "hypergrowth" mode, but it’s healthy, shifting, and full of opportunity. As recruiters, we’re not just matching CVs to jobs—we’re guiding businesses through change and helping people into life-shaping roles.

The future? It’s green, it’s skilled, it’s tech-enabled—and it needs all of us to shape it.

Let’s connect, collaborate, and build the next chapter together.