finance
Glasgow Labour Market Trends Signal Green Sector Openings for Businesses
Recent figures on employment rates, job postings and qualification levels in the Glasgow City Region point to specific areas where companies can target recruitment and skills planning.
How we reported this
Glasgow City recorded an employment rate of 71.2% for residents aged 16-64 in the year ending December 2023, down from 72.1% the previous year and covering roughly 313,000 people in work, according to Office for National Statistics data.
The figures arrive as the Glasgow City Region posts its highest economic inactivity rate since 2004 at 26.5% and its lowest employment rate since 2018 at 71.3% for 2023-2024, with long-term sickness accounting for 35.3% of those outside the labour force, per Scottish Government labour market trends. These patterns matter now because they coincide with a concentrated surge in advertised roles that businesses can use to fill vacancies amid persistent workforce gaps.
Job postings concentrate in Glasgow and green roles
Between January and June 2025 the Glasgow City Region recorded 87,300 job postings, equal to 32% of Scotland's total, with Glasgow city itself accounting for 48,800 of those listings. Forty-four percent of the postings were for green jobs carrying a median advertised salary of £37,600. Companies operating in advanced manufacturing or related supply chains can therefore expect competition for candidates in roles tied to environmental transition work, particularly where postings cluster inside the city boundary.
High qualification levels alongside inactivity
Over half (51.6%) of working-age residents in the Glasgow City Region hold a degree, placing the area second among UK core city regions outside London on this measure, even while the region records the highest economic inactivity rate in that group. Businesses reviewing recruitment strategies can therefore access a comparatively well-qualified local pool, yet must account for the share of residents sidelined by long-term sickness when planning outreach or workplace adjustments.
Employers reviewing these indicators can prioritise green-job pipelines and flexible arrangements that address sickness-related barriers, drawing on the existing qualification base without waiting for further data releases from the Scottish Government or ONS.
This article is general information only and is not personal financial or investment advice. Consider your own circumstances and seek licensed professional advice before making financial decisions.