Have you ever been subject to the age-old cliché, ‘if you could go back and start over, what would you do as a career?’ Unfortunately for many of us, the once childhood dream of developing a right foot like that of Wayne Rooney, the voice box of Adele, or the relaxing tones of David Attenborough is a far cry away from reality. That said, a commitment to learning and a drive to pursue is certainly enough to pave a career within a whole host of lucrative industries.
In recent years our younger generations have been encouraged to commit their professional lives to a STEM based role. Graduates of science, technology, engineering, and maths usually receive a higher annual salary than other university leavers, regardless of the job in which they are working. With this in mind, we’ve decided to examine the various industries throughout the globe, assessing which is the most attractive to work in, whether they offer generous holiday allowances or luxurious staff uniforms.
Oil and gas
The energy industry is perhaps the most interesting inclusion on our list. Many people will be speculative over encouraging a career in this area, but, if you are willing to put in a considerable amount of hard work, then you will certainly reap the rewards. Most workers, if off-shore, will only work two-fifths, or half the year, thanks to their shift pattern. Although the demand for renewable energy is constantly increasing and we are continually reminded of crude oil shortages, oil and gas caters for approximately three-quarters of the UK’s primary energy source, and output is expected to double by 2030.
The average worker in the North Sea, off the coast of Aberdeen, earns £540 a day, contributing to an annual salary of £55,850 a year— more than double the national average.
Transportation
The shelf life of transportation, particularly flying, will never run out — we as humans will always need it. The question is, why would you join such an industry? The world is a wonderful place, awash with natural beauty and a host of differing cultures, yet, the issue for many of us is, we’ll never get the opportunity to witness even a miniscule percentage of that. However, if you choose to follow a career as a flight attendant, exploring the world becomes more than just feasible, you get paid to do it. Seize the opportunity to visit some of the most far flung destinations, places you couldn’t even spell the name of before you landed the job. If that isn’t enough to sway you, consider the fact most flight attendants also work flexible hours, choosing the time and frequency of their shifts. Free flights and attractive uniforms are further perks worth your attention.
The average senior flight attendant should expect a take home salary of £20,000.
Teaching
Despite the fact many will point to the lengthy summer holidays as a reason to become a teacher, this isn’t necessarily true. Teachers bring work home every night of the week and will often devote their weekends to marking essays and planning lessons. Undoubtedly, the two largest benefits of becoming a teacher, come in the form of something you cannot physically witness — no two days being the same, and knowing full well you have the ability on each of those days to inspire a young mind. Most people get dissatisfied in their job because they get bored, working on repetitive tasks on daily basis, but teaching exists as a constant learning curve.
The average salary of a newly qualified teacher in the UK is £22,917.
Policing
Much like teaching, working as a police officer can be particularly rewarding in this sense that you are doing more than simply ‘in it for the wage’ — you are serving a greater good and making a genuine difference. Unlike being stuck behind a desk all day, a policer officer is out on the street, protecting and serving their local community. Although the self-fulfilment that comes from being a police officer is undoubtedly the most attractive benefit, officers can become a member of the generous pension scheme, of which the police service contribute 21.3 per cent of their pay on top of their own contributions.
The average salary of a constable in their first year is £19,971, however, this wage increases on an annual basis, to £38,382 after approximately seven years.
Journalism
Okay, so it might be true that the digital era has altered journalism in its traditional form, but by no means is the industry dead, it is simply in a stage of transition. American news website Huffpost noted, ’journalism will never die as long as the world has news to report and requires someone to report it’.
Alongside the obvious positives of learning something new every day, thanks to the traditional media being broken down, you no longer must be tied to a publication. Freelance is perhaps the biggest beauty of working as a journalist — it means you decide who you write for and what you want to write, ensuring your job remains interesting and doesn’t slip into the category of mundane.
The average salary of a journalist within five years’ experience is approximately £25,000.
Whether it be sociable working hours that allow you the opportunity to fit your work around your life, or it be the opportunity to make a difference every day, each industry offers some form of unique selling point worth taking into consideration when choosing a career path.