Next Economy Hotspots

Where your skills are worth the most.

147 places across the US and UK where employers can’t hire fast enough. Your experience could be exactly what they need.

Go now· Hiring urgent
Growing· Active demand
Coming· 12-36 months out

Data centers
Defense
Energy
Advanced manufacturing
Construction
Cybersecurity
Commercial aerospace
Logistics
Utilities
Water

Every hotspot on the map

The 147 US and UK metros where employer demand for skilled trades and technical work outstrips local supply — what’s being built, what it pays, and who’s hiring.

US · Virginia
Northern Virginia (Loudoun/PW/Fairfax)
Go nowData centers
Peak demand. Apply today.
The data center capital of the world. And they can't find enough electricians.
Northern Virginia runs 70% of the world's internet traffic. There are 5,600 megawatts of data center capacity live, with another 5,900 megawatts planned. Dominion Energy is expanding its contracted capacity to 40 gigawatts.
What it pays: IBEW Local 26 journeyman rate is $59.50/hr, roughly $120K a year. With overtime, that pushes past $200K. DC-area electricians are earning $240K to $280K.
Hiring: Microsoft, Dominion Energy, AWS, Google
US · Georgia
Atlanta
Go nowData centers
Peak demand. Apply today.
Atlanta tripled its data center capacity in a year. They need the people to run it.
Atlanta has 1,459 megawatts of data center inventory, up 459 megawatts year-on-year. Another 2,076 megawatts is under construction, with 10+ gigawatts of future capacity approved. Google, Microsoft, Meta, and AWS are all building here.
What it pays: Lease rates on large data center deals are up nearly 14% since end of 2024. That price pressure flows directly into wages for the people who build and maintain these facilities.
Hiring: Google, Microsoft, Meta, AWS
US · Texas
Dallas-Fort Worth
Go nowData centers
Peak demand. Apply today.
A gigawatt of data center capacity, 98% full. They're building three times more.
Around 1 gigawatt of capacity is online and 98% leased. Another 600 megawatts is under construction (95% already spoken for). 2.2 gigawatts is in planning, with 40 gigawatts in power requests. This market is tripling in three years after 20 years of slow growth.
What it pays: Pricing on large data center deals sits above $200 per kilowatt. Competitive wage pressure is rising across the board.
Hiring: CBRE, AWS, Meta, Google
US · Arizona
Phoenix (Chandler/North Phoenix)
Go nowAdvanced manufacturing
Peak demand. Apply today.
TSMC is tripling its Arizona campus. They've been delayed because they can't find enough people.
TSMC is building six semiconductor fabs plus two advanced packaging plants. 6,000 jobs are expected from Fab 3 alone. Intel Chandler continues to expand alongside. This is semiconductor reshoring ground zero.
What it pays: Relocation packages and the use of imported Taiwanese technicians signal serious premium wage pressure. If you have fab or clean room experience, you name your price.
Hiring: TSMC, Intel
US · Ohio
Columbus / Central Ohio
Go nowAdvanced manufacturing
Peak demand. Apply today.
Intel, Anduril, Meta, and AWS all building in the same metro. At the same time.
Intel is spending $20 billion on two mega-fabs, creating 3,000 direct jobs and 7,000 construction roles. Anduril's Arsenal 1 opened in Q1 2026, targeting 4,000 employees by 2035. Meta is building a gigawatt data center. AWS is adding $10 billion by 2029.
What it pays: Intel's average salary is $130K. Skilled trades are commanding premiums from the bidding war between every major employer in the region.
Hiring: Intel, Anduril, Meta, AWS, Google
US · Virginia
Newport News / Hampton Roads
Go nowDefense
Peak demand. Apply today.
The only shipyard in America that builds aircraft carriers. They need 21,000 new hires this decade.
Huntington Ingalls Industries plans to expand to 28,000 workers. An $18.5 billion contract was awarded in April 2025. The yard needs 21,000 new hires over the next decade to build carriers and submarines.
What it pays: HII is boosting wages via federal Submarine Advanced Workforce Solutions funding. Pay isn't yet at parity with Amazon and commercial competitors, but it's closing fast.
Hiring: Huntington Ingalls Industries
US · Texas/Louisiana
Gulf Coast TX/LA (Houston/Lake Charles/Corpus/Freeport)
Go nowEnergy
Peak demand. Apply today.
Five LNG plants under construction. 30,000 workers needed. Wages up 20% in three years.
Five liquefied natural gas plants are going up simultaneously, adding 86.6 million tons per year of capacity. Freeport alone is cleared for 9,100 workers. Cameron needs 11,400. Over 30,000 workers are needed across the corridor.
What it pays: Welders and pipefitters earn up to $60/hr plus sign-on bonuses. Louisiana construction wages rose 19% year-on-year in 2023. This is the epicentre of US skilled trades wage inflation.
Hiring: Freeport LNG, Cameron LNG, Bechtel
US · Tennessee/Kentucky
BlueOval City (Stanton TN / Glendale KY)
Go nowAdvanced manufacturing
Peak demand. Apply today.
The largest single auto investment in history. 11,000 jobs. Production starts 2026.
Ford and SK On have committed $11.4 billion. 6,000 jobs in Tennessee, 5,000 in Kentucky. State estimates put the full direct and indirect count at 27,000. This is the biggest bet the US auto industry has ever made on a single site.
What it pays: Wages run above the regional premium. Workers are being poached in both directions between Kansas and Tennessee.
Hiring: Ford, SK On
US · New York
Syracuse / Clay NY (Micron)
Go nowAdvanced manufacturing
Peak demand. Apply today.
Micron is spending $100 billion. Central New York hasn't grown since the 1950s. Do the maths.
Micron is building up to four semiconductor fabs, creating 9,000 direct jobs and 40,000 total permanent support roles. This is the largest semiconductor investment in US history.
What it pays: Micron programme roles pay $96K to $216K depending on seniority. That gives you a sense of the scale.
Hiring: Micron
US · Nevada
Reno / Sparks NV (Tesla Gigafactory)
Go nowAdvanced manufacturing
Peak demand. Apply today.
Tesla has 11,000 people here, is hiring 1,000 more, and just announced a $3.6 billion expansion.
Tesla has invested $6.2 billion and employs 11,000 at the original Gigafactory. Another 1,000 are being hired for the Semi ramp in 2025-2026. A $3.6 billion expansion will add 3,000 more direct roles.
What it pays: Tesla skilled-trade construction contracts pay $40 to $50/hr W2 on 50-hour weeks.
Hiring: Tesla, Apple, Switch, Microsoft, Amazon
US · Virginia
Richmond VA
GrowingData centers
Strong demand. Hiring is active.
Northern Virginia is full. The build is spilling south. Richmond is next.
Data center capacity jumped 100 megawatts to 800+ megawatts in the first half of 2025. AWS has committed $35 billion to new Virginia sites by 2040. Richmond is the natural overflow.
What it pays: Southern Virginia wages are catching up to NoVA as sites extend down the I-95 corridor.
Hiring: AWS, Google
US · Texas
Austin-San Antonio TX
GrowingData centers
Strong demand. Hiring is active.
Samsung's $17 billion fab. Stargate shortlisted. Texas is building its own chip corridor.
A secondary data center market growing fast. Samsung Taylor is expanding and the site is on the Stargate shortlist. The Austin-San Antonio corridor is becoming a semiconductor and data center spine.
What it pays: Samsung Taylor is offering aggressive semiconductor-specialist packages to attract and retain.
Hiring: Samsung
US · Oregon
Hillsboro / Portland OR (Silicon Forest)
GrowingData centers
Strong demand. Hiring is active.
Third-largest US data center market. Intel's main R&D fab. And it keeps growing.
1,660 megawatts of data center capacity. Intel's D1X research fab is active. Amazon, Microsoft, and Apple are all expanding in the Portland metro.
What it pays: Cleared semiconductor fabrication trades earn premium wages. Data center-certified electricians are in particular demand.
Hiring: Intel, Amazon, Microsoft, Apple
US · Illinois
Chicago
GrowingData centers
Strong demand. Hiring is active.
692 megawatts and growing. The Midwest's quiet data center hub.
Chicago is a 692-megawatt primary market with 244 megawatts under construction. That's roughly 9% of the entire US market.
What it pays: Illinois union rates are stable and carry a premium for data center-certified workers.
Hiring: AWS, Google, Meta, Microsoft
US · California
Silicon Valley / Santa Clara CA
GrowingData centers
Strong demand. Hiring is active.
The sharpest data center pricing growth in the country. Power is the bottleneck, not demand.
Pricing on large data center deals grew 19% in the first half of 2025. The market is reconfiguring for AI workloads, but power constraints are the limiting factor.
What it pays: High wages, but California cost of living offsets them. Competitive with emerging markets that offer lower living costs and equivalent pay.
Hiring: Google, Meta, Apple, Microsoft
US · North Carolina
Charlotte-Raleigh NC
GrowingData centers
Strong demand. Hiring is active.
AWS has invested $22 billion in North Carolina. 500+ direct jobs from the latest build alone.
Amazon committed $10 billion in Richmond County with 500+ direct jobs. Total AWS investment in North Carolina stands at $22 billion and counting.
What it pays: Data center technician wages carry a premium over standard NC construction rates. AWS sets a competitive wage floor.
Hiring: AWS, Amazon
US · Washington
Central Washington (Quincy/Wenatchee) WA
GrowingData centers
Strong demand. Hiring is active.
Cheap hydropower. Hyperscale data centers. Rural Washington is booming.
A secondary market with continued hyperscaler build-out, powered by some of the cheapest electricity in the US. The hydropower advantage makes this a long-term play.
What it pays: IBEW Wenatchee is offering tuition-free apprenticeships to attract entrants. That tells you how short-staffed they are.
Hiring: Microsoft, Google, AWS
US · New York/New Jersey
New York Tri-State (NJ)
GrowingData centers
Strong demand. Hiring is active.
Vacancy under 2%. Near-record construction. The Tri-State data center market is full and building.
A primary market with vacancy under 2% and near-record construction activity. The infrastructure pipeline for secure data facilities is deep.
What it pays: Wages sit on a premium NYC/NJ baseline. Data center-specific certifications push them higher.
Hiring: AWS, Google, Meta
US · Pennsylvania
Salem Township / Luzerne County PA (AWS + Susquehanna)
GrowingData centers
Strong demand. Hiring is active.
The largest private investment in Pennsylvania history. AWS. $20 billion. Next to a nuclear plant.
AWS announced a $20 billion Pennsylvania investment in June 2025. 1,250 direct jobs plus thousands in the supply chain. The site sits next to the Susquehanna nuclear plant for power access.
What it pays: AWS apprenticeship programmes are building a wage floor. Data center technician roles are new to the region and paying accordingly.
Hiring: AWS, Amazon
US · Pennsylvania
Bucks County PA (Falls Township)
GrowingData centers
Strong demand. Hiring is active.
A former US Steel site. Now an AWS data center campus. The Philly trades pool is already tight.
Second AWS Pennsylvania campus, built on a former US Steel brownfield site in Falls Township. Part of the broader $20 billion AWS Pennsylvania commitment.
What it pays: Wage growth is following the AWS entry. The Amazon wage floor lifts the entire area.
Hiring: AWS, Amazon
US · Louisiana
Shreveport / Bossier-Caddo Parish LA
GrowingData centers
Strong demand. Hiring is active.
Amazon and STACK just announced $12 billion in Shreveport. 1,500 construction workers. 540 permanent roles.
Amazon and data center developer STACK announced a $12 billion hyperscale complex in February 2026. 1,500 construction workers needed, 540 permanent roles, and 1,700 indirect jobs.
What it pays: Wages run at a significant premium over the regional median. Amazon's entry sets the floor.
Hiring: Amazon, STACK
US · Louisiana
West Feliciana Parish LA (Hut 8 River Bend)
GrowingData centers
Strong demand. Hiring is active.
Hut 8 just put $7 to $10 billion into rural Louisiana. Phase 2 expected by end of 2026.
Hut 8 announced a $7 to $10 billion investment in December 2025. Phase 1 covers two 450,000 sq ft data centers. Phase 2 is expected by end of 2026.
What it pays: Louisiana power and petrochemical-trained trades are commanding premiums across the board.
Hiring: Hut 8
US · Wisconsin
Mount Pleasant WI (Microsoft)
GrowingData centers
Strong demand. Hiring is active.
Remember the failed Foxconn site? Microsoft owns it now. Phase 1 is operational.
Microsoft owns 1,575 acres with Phase 1 operational in early 2026. Another 1,030 acres is in planning. Over $3 billion committed to Wisconsin.
What it pays: Union rates are prevailing. Microsoft is paying competitively to attract workers back.
Hiring: Microsoft
US · Ohio
New Albany OH (Meta Prometheus)
GrowingData centers
Strong demand. Hiring is active.
Meta's first gigawatt data center. 200 megawatts of on-site gas power by November 2026.
Meta Prometheus is a gigawatt-scale AI data center in New Albany. 200 megawatts of on-site gas generation will be operational by November 2026.
What it pays: Trades in central Ohio are paying Intel-level premiums. The competition is your leverage.
Hiring: Meta
US · Pennsylvania
Pittsburgh PA / Appalachia
GrowingEnergy
Strong demand. Hiring is active.
Natural gas, nuclear, and AI computing. Pittsburgh is where all three converge.
AWS opened a cloud innovation center at the University of Pittsburgh. The Susquehanna area is seeing aligned data center and energy activity. Legacy gas infrastructure meets modern AI compute demand.
What it pays: Pipeline trades rose 19% year-on-year in Pennsylvania in 2023. The trend is continuing.
Hiring: AWS, Amazon, PPL Corporation
US · Connecticut
Groton CT (Electric Boat)
GrowingDefense
Strong demand. Hiring is active.
Virginia-class and Columbia-class submarines. One of two yards in the country that builds them.
Electric Boat is one of two US yards building Virginia and Columbia class submarines. A $12.4 billion contract was awarded in April 2025. Work is being outsourced to six yards because Groton can't keep up alone.
What it pays: GD is scaling wages via federal Submarine Advanced Workforce Solutions funding. Cleared shipyard trades carry a premium.
Hiring: General Dynamics Electric Boat
US · Alabama
Huntsville AL (Rocket City)
GrowingDefense
Strong demand. Hiring is active.
Redstone Arsenal. Missile Defense Agency. Boeing, Northrop, Lockheed. All here, all hiring.
Redstone Arsenal hosts the Missile Defense Agency. Boeing, Northrop, and Lockheed all have major operations. Golden Dome and hypersonics programmes are both anchored here.
What it pays: Cleared engineer wages at a national premium. Huntsville's cost of living is significantly lower than DC or California, so the money goes further.
Hiring: Boeing, Northrop Grumman, Lockheed Martin
US · Texas + California
Fort Worth + Palmdale CA (Lockheed + Northrop)
GrowingDefense
Strong demand. Hiring is active.
F-35 production. B-21 Raider ramp. Classified next-gen fighter work. Two cities, two primes.
Lockheed builds the F-35 and Sikorsky helicopters in Fort Worth. Northrop is ramping B-21 Raider production at Palmdale. Classified next-generation fighter work is ongoing at both sites.
What it pays: Classified programmes pay wage premiums. Palmdale cost of living is driving packages higher to attract workers from LA.
Hiring: Lockheed Martin, Northrop Grumman
US · Georgia
Savannah GA (Hyundai Metaplant + SK On)
GrowingAdvanced manufacturing
Strong demand. Hiring is active.
Hyundai just spent $7.6 billion. 8,100 jobs. Online in 2025.
The Hyundai Metaplant is a $7.6 billion EV manufacturing facility, online in 2025 with 8,100+ direct jobs. Adjacent battery joint ventures are adding more.
What it pays: Georgia battery wages are rising. The Southeast corridor is competing aggressively for the same workers.
Hiring: Hyundai, SK On
US · Indiana + Michigan + North Carolina
Kokomo IN / Lansing MI / Liberty NC (battery JVs)
GrowingAdvanced manufacturing
Strong demand. Hiring is active.
Stellantis-Samsung, GM-LG, Toyota. $40 billion in battery plants across three states.
Battery joint ventures between Stellantis-Samsung, GM-LG, and Toyota total around $40 billion announced through 2030. Kokomo, Lansing, and Liberty anchor the US battery belt.
What it pays: The gap between UAW and non-union rates is narrowing as battery premiums push wages up across the board.
Hiring: Stellantis, Samsung, GM, LG, Toyota
US · Kansas
Wichita KS (Spirit/Boeing)
GrowingDefense
Strong demand. Hiring is active.
Spirit AeroSystems is now Boeing. 600 new workers pledged. 15,000 across five sites.
Spirit AeroSystems became a Boeing subsidiary in December 2025. Boeing pledged 600 additional workers by end of 2025. Total post-acquisition workforce across five sites is around 15,000.
What it pays: Kansas Aviation Tax Credit offers up to $5,000 a year for five years. Strong base wages on top.
Hiring: Boeing
US · Utah
Hill AFB / Ogden UT (Sentinel ICBM)
GrowingDefense
Strong demand. Hiring is active.
450 new nuclear missile silos. A 50-year modernisation programme. They need 3,000 to 4,000 people.
Northrop's Sentinel ICBM programme is targeting 3,000 to 4,000 people over the next few years. A new campus in northern Utah supports silo construction across five states. This is a 50-year modernisation programme.
What it pays: Relocation assistance is standard. 9/80 compressed work schedules. Cleared premium on top of base salary.
Hiring: Northrop Grumman
US · Florida
Cape Canaveral / Brevard FL (Space Coast)
GrowingDefense
Strong demand. Hiring is active.
SpaceX, Blue Origin, ULA. 109 launches in 2025. The Space Coast is hiring constantly.
SpaceX's $1.8 billion Gigabay is completing in 2026. Blue Origin has 4,000 Florida employees and a new Lunar Production Facility. Space Florida manages a $6 billion, 220-project pipeline. 109 launches in 2025 set a record.
What it pays: Entry aerospace tech roles start around $75K, rising to $200K+. No state income tax.
Hiring: SpaceX, Blue Origin, ULA
US · Maine
Bath ME (Bath Iron Works)
GrowingDefense
Strong demand. Hiring is active.
Guided-missile destroyers. 6,500 jobs. 12% of Maine's entire manufacturing workforce.
GD Bath Iron Works builds DDG-51 destroyers. 6,500 direct jobs, representing 12% of Maine's manufacturing workforce. 425 ships delivered since 1884.
What it pays: Union wage scale runs Grade 1 to 7. Free workforce training programmes offered through the academy.
Hiring: General Dynamics Bath Iron Works
US · Mississippi + Alabama
Pascagoula MS + Mobile AL (Ingalls + Austal)
GrowingDefense
Strong demand. Hiring is active.
Twin Gulf Coast shipyards. Destroyers, amphibious ships, and submarine modules. Both short-staffed.
HII Ingalls builds destroyers and amphibious ships. Austal USA builds Littoral Combat Ships and submarine modules for Electric Boat. Work is being outsourced to six yards to relieve the strain.
What it pays: Union scale Gulf Coast. Shipfitter, welder, and mariner roles carry premiums.
Hiring: Huntington Ingalls Industries, Austal USA
US · Tennessee + Texas
Oak Ridge TN (Y-12) + Amarillo TX (Pantex)
GrowingDefense
Strong demand. Hiring is active.
Nuclear weapons production. 39% of the workforce near retirement. Classified work, premium pay.
Y-12 employs around 8,600 people. The $10.3 billion Uranium Processing Facility completes in 2027. Pantex is the final assembly site for the W80-4 Life Extension Programme. NNSA budget covers $140.9 billion for Sentinel and related programmes.
What it pays: Nuclear-cleared workers earn a significant wage premium. NNSA runs rolling hiring events.
Hiring: Consolidated Nuclear Security, Bechtel, NNSA
US · Texas
Abilene TX (Stargate)
ComingData centers
Position yourself. 12-36 months out.
Oracle's Stargate. 200 megawatts live, scaling to 1.2 gigawatts. Population: 185,000.
Oracle/Crusoe first phase is 200 megawatts, with plans to expand to 1.2 gigawatts. 10 buildings under construction, expanding to 20, each 500,000 sq ft. Stargate is also expanding to seven other states.
What it pays: Construction workers earn $40 to $50+/hr on-site. Oracle relocation packages are standard.
Hiring: Oracle
US · Louisiana
Rayville / Richland Parish LA (Meta Hyperion)
ComingData centers
Position yourself. 12-36 months out.
Meta is spending $27 billion in a county of 20,000 people. 5,000 construction workers descending.
Meta has committed $27 billion across a 2,250-acre, 4 million sq ft site. 5,000 peak construction workers. 500+ permanent roles. Entergy is fast-tracking seven gas plants to power it.
What it pays: Workers pulled from outside Louisiana command per-diem and travel premiums on top of base wages.
Hiring: Meta, Turner, DPR, Mortenson
US · Ohio
Pickaway County OH (Anduril Arsenal 1)
ComingDefense
Position yourself. 12-36 months out.
Anduril's Arsenal 1. Opened ahead of schedule. 50 staff now, 4,000 by 2035.
Arsenal 1 opened in Q1 2026 ahead of schedule. 50 staff on-site rising to 250 by year-end, then 4,000 by 2035. Seven production buildings planned for Fury, Roadrunner, Barracuda, and classified programmes.
What it pays: Anduril has signalled paying above-market to attract crossover talent. Defense tech startup compensation, not legacy defense contractor rates.
Hiring: Anduril
US · Ohio
Lima OH (Google Allen County)
ComingData centers
Position yourself. 12-36 months out.
Google just announced $500 million in rural Northwest Ohio. Plus $50 million for local infrastructure.
Google announced $500 million in Allen County in February 2026, plus a $50 million infrastructure boost for the community.
What it pays: Google's wage floor typically sits well above the regional median.
Hiring: Google
US · Mississippi
Jackson / Meridian MS (Compass-Meridian)
ComingData centers
Position yourself. 12-36 months out.
One of the largest data center builds announced in the US. Rural Mississippi. They'll need to bring people in.
Compass-Meridian is one of the largest announced data center builds in the US, sited in rural Mississippi.
What it pays: Wages run at a significant premium over the Mississippi construction median.
Hiring: Compass Datacenters
US · Nebraska
Omaha NE
ComingData centers
Position yourself. 12-36 months out.
Meta, Google, and Stargate all expanding in Nebraska. Power-rich and growing fast.
Meta, Google, and Stargate are all expanding. Google's STAR programme is operating in Nebraska. A secondary market that's growing faster than most primaries.
What it pays: Google is offering competitive fibre and tradesman wage packages.
Hiring: Meta, Google
US · Louisiana
Jefferson Parish LA (Meta $10B)
ComingData centers
Position yourself. 12-36 months out.
Meta. $10 billion. Greater New Orleans. Part of Louisiana's data center explosion.
Announced alongside Hyperion. Around 2,600 megawatts of projected power consumption. This is Meta's second major Louisiana play.
What it pays: Energy-trained trades are commanding wage premiums across the state.
Hiring: Meta
US · Wyoming
Kemmerer WY (TerraPower Natrium)
ComingEnergy
Position yourself. 12-36 months out.
Bill Gates' TerraPower is building a next-generation nuclear reactor in Wyoming. The first of its kind.
TerraPower is building a 345-megawatt Natrium reactor, backed by the Department of Energy. This is the first commercial small modular reactor demonstration in the US.
What it pays: Premiums offered to draw nuclear-cleared workers from the national pool.
Hiring: TerraPower
US · Idaho
Idaho Falls ID (INL)
ComingEnergy
Position yourself. 12-36 months out.
Idaho National Laboratory. The epicentre of US nuclear research. SMR demonstrations in design.
Idaho National Laboratory hosts multiple small modular reactor demonstration projects in the design phase. This is the country's nuclear research epicentre.
What it pays: Security-clearance wage premium applies.
Hiring: Idaho National Laboratory
US · South Carolina
Aiken SC (Savannah River Site)
ComingDefense
Position yourself. 12-36 months out.
13,000 people. Plutonium pit production. 50+ pits per year by 2030.
Savannah River Site has 13,000 personnel under NNSA. The former MOX Fuel Facility is being repurposed to produce 50+ plutonium pits per year by 2030. This is sovereign nuclear weapons infrastructure.
What it pays: Security-cleared, pit-production roles carry significant wage premiums.
Hiring: Consolidated Nuclear Security, NNSA
US · Missouri
St Louis MO (Boeing Defense)
ComingDefense
Position yourself. 12-36 months out.
F-15EX. MQ-25 tanker drone. The classified next-gen Navy fighter. All built in St Louis.
St Louis hosts Boeing's F-15EX production, the MQ-25 unmanned tanker, and the classified F/A-XX next-generation Navy fighter programme.
What it pays: St Louis classified programmes pay a wage premium. Midwest cost of living makes the money stretch.
Hiring: Boeing
US · Arizona
Tucson AZ (Raytheon RTX)
ComingDefense
Position yourself. 12-36 months out.
Stinger, Javelin, and Standard Missiles. Production ramping to refill stockpiles.
Raytheon is ramping production of Stinger, Javelin, and Standard Missile families to replenish stockpiles drawn down by transfers to Ukraine and Israel.
What it pays: Cleared premium plus ITAR-restricted work rates.
Hiring: Raytheon, RTX
US · Montana + ND + WY
Malmstrom MT / Minot ND / Warren WY (Sentinel silo construction)
ComingDefense
Position yourself. 12-36 months out.
450 nuclear missile silos being rebuilt across the High Plains. The largest Air Force project ever.
New silos will be constructed on 450 existing Minuteman III sites across Montana, North Dakota, and Wyoming. 1,000 to 1,500 construction workers needed at peak. This is the largest Air Force infrastructure project in history.
What it pays: Premium per-diem rates for rural ICBM construction work.
Hiring: Northrop Grumman, Bechtel
US · Colorado
Denver / Boulder CO (Lockheed Waterton + Ball Aerospace + Buckley SFB)
ComingDefense
Position yourself. 12-36 months out.
Orion, GPS III, and classified overhead programmes. Denver is America's space operations hub.
Lockheed Space at Waterton runs Orion and GPS III. Ball Aerospace, Buckley Space Force Base, and multiple classified overhead programmes anchor the region.
What it pays: Classified space programme premium. Denver cost of living adjustment is a live issue, but compensation reflects it.
Hiring: Lockheed Martin, Ball Aerospace, BAE Systems, L3Harris
US · Massachusetts
New Bedford MA (US offshore wind)
ComingEnergy
Position yourself. 12-36 months out.
US offshore wind staging hub. Vineyard Wind and Revolution Wind launch from here. Policy uncertainty remains.
New Bedford Marine Commerce Terminal stages Vineyard Wind and Revolution Wind. Paulsboro NJ and Brayton Point MA are emerging as additional hubs.
What it pays: Premium union wages when projects are active.
Hiring: Avangrid, Orsted, GE
UK · England (SE)
Slough / West London
Go nowData centers
Peak demand. Apply today.
30+ data centres. 1 gigawatt of capacity. A 6 gigawatt AI target by 2030. They need 300,000 new engineers globally.
Over 30 operational data centres deliver 1 gigawatt of capacity and 14,000 jobs. The UK government has set a 6 gigawatt AI-capable target for 2030. This is the UK's data centre anchor.
What it pays: London mechanical and electrical engineers are migrating to secure infrastructure for premium pay. Data centre roles consistently beat construction rates.
Hiring: Equinix, Digital Realty, CyrusOne
UK · England (NW)
Barrow-in-Furness
Go nowDefense
Peak demand. Apply today.
BAE is growing from 10,000 to 17,000 in Barrow. A third of the town already works there.
BAE Systems is expanding from 10,000 to 17,000 workers, having already added 3,000 since 2023 to reach 14,700. The SSN-AUKUS submarine programme projects 30,000 jobs, 30,000 apprenticeships, and 14,000 graduate roles nationally.
What it pays: Average salary £39K versus the Cumbria median of £29.9K. The premium is real and rising.
Hiring: BAE Systems
UK · England (SW)
Somerset (Hinkley Point C)
Go nowEnergy
Peak demand. Apply today.
A £46 billion nuclear power station. Fewer than 5,000 UK welders are certified for the work.
Hinkley Point C is a twin-reactor nuclear build. The nuclear workforce is forecast to rise from 35,900 in 2025 to 46,000+ by 2030. The South West nuclear workforce has already tripled to 27,000+.
What it pays: Nuclear-cleared welders and high-voltage specialists typically earn 10 to 20%+ above civil rates.
Hiring: EDF, Balfour Beatty, Doosan, Cavendish, Altrad
UK · England (E Mids)
Derby (Rolls-Royce Raynesway)
Go nowDefense
Peak demand. Apply today.
AUKUS is doubling the Rolls-Royce Derby site. £2.4 billion from Australia. 1,170 new jobs.
Australian AUKUS investment of £2.4 billion is doubling the Raynesway site and adding 1,170 jobs. £3 billion is committed across Barrow and Derby for advanced nuclear manufacturing.
What it pays: Nuclear-cleared workers earn a wage premium. Derby's cost of living is significantly lower than the South East.
Hiring: Rolls-Royce
UK · England (Yorkshire)
Sheffield / South Yorkshire (Forgemasters)
Go nowAdvanced manufacturing
Peak demand. Apply today.
The UK's sovereign forge capability. £1.3 billion recapitalisation. A 13,000-tonne forge by end of decade.
Sheffield Forgemasters is MoD-owned sovereign capability. Recapitalisation has reached £1.3 billion. Workforce growing from 600 to 720+, with 900+ construction workers on-site. A 13,000-tonne forge and 30,000 sqm machine shop are planned by end of decade.
What it pays: Apprentice entry wages are competitive for Yorkshire. The skill premium is rising as demand outstrips the training throughput.
Hiring: Sheffield Forgemasters (MoD)
UK · England (Yorkshire and Humber)
Humber (Grimsby/Hull)
Go nowEnergy
Peak demand. Apply today.
40,000 UK offshore wind jobs today. 74,000 to 95,000 needed by 2030. Yorkshire and Humber is a top three region.
The UK has 40,000 offshore wind jobs today and needs 74,000 to 95,000 by 2030. Yorkshire and Humber ranks as a top-three region for that growth.
What it pays: Typical offshore wind salary sits £10K above the UK average. £60.8 billion of private investment between 2021 and 2026.
Hiring: Siemens Gamesa, Orsted
UK · England (London + W Mids)
HS2 Corridor (London-Birmingham)
Go nowConstruction
Peak demand. Apply today.
33,000 people building HS2. 2,032 apprenticeships started. 3,700 UK businesses in the supply chain.
33,000 workers are building HS2. 2,032 apprentices have started, exceeding the 2,000 target. 5,645 formerly unemployed people have been placed. 3,700+ UK businesses are in the supply chain.
What it pays: HS2 workforce wage floor is set by collective agreements. The scale of the project creates wage stability.
Hiring: HS2 Ltd, Balfour Beatty, Skanska
UK · England (East)
Suffolk (Sizewell C)
GrowingEnergy
Strong demand. Hiring is active.
Final investment decision confirmed. Framatome contract awarded. The East of England nuclear workforce is up 27%.
Sizewell C received final investment decision in July 2025. Framatome has been awarded a multi-billion-euro contract. The East of England nuclear workforce stands at 2,300, up 27%. Regional GVA is up 20% to £1.2 billion.
What it pays: Nuclear-cleared workers earn a wage premium. The bidding war between sites will push it higher.
Hiring: EDF, Framatome, Rullion
UK · England (NE)
Teesside
GrowingEnergy
Strong demand. Hiring is active.
Offshore wind, carbon capture, hydrogen, and now a £10 billion AI campus. Teesside is the UK's energy transition anchor.
SeAH Wind has £225 million of UK Export Finance backing. A carbon capture and storage cluster is a UK priority. Blackstone is investing £10 billion in an AI campus at nearby Blyth.
What it pays: North East clean-energy wages are rising. A skills passport system is active for workers transitioning across energy sectors.
Hiring: SeAH Wind, Blackstone
UK · Scotland
Aberdeen / NE Scotland
GrowingEnergy
Strong demand. Hiring is active.
The UK's highest projected wind workforce requirement. Oil and gas skills translate directly.
Aberdeen is projected to have the highest wind-workforce requirement of any UK region. The transition from oil and gas to offshore wind is the core story.
What it pays: Wind roles pay a premium over the UK median. Retraining packages are available.
Hiring: Orsted, SSE, Shell
UK · England (London)
East London (Docklands/Havering/Dagenham)
GrowingData centers
Strong demand. Hiring is active.
Digital Reef. CoreWeave. Colt. Data centres spreading east from Slough into London.
Digital Reef is building 600 megawatts at Havering at £1.7 billion. Colt Hayes has 60 megawatts. CoreWeave has committed £1.75 billion for a London build with NVIDIA H200s.
What it pays: Mechanical and electrical engineers with data centre experience earn premium pay.
Hiring: Digital Reef, CoreWeave, Colt
UK · Scotland
Glasgow (BAE Govan + Scotstoun)
GrowingDefense
Strong demand. Hiring is active.
Type 26 frigates. £7.9 billion programme. 1,700 skilled jobs in Glasgow plus 2,300 UK supply chain.
The Type 26 frigate programme is worth £7.9 billion. Eight ships total, 29 globally including Australia and Canada. 1,700 skilled jobs in Glasgow plus 2,300 UK supply chain roles through 2035.
What it pays: Shipbuilding premium over the regional median.
Hiring: BAE Systems
UK · England (SW)
Plymouth / Devonport
GrowingDefense
Strong demand. Hiring is active.
Home port for all eight Type 26 frigates from 2028. Nuclear submarine refits. Babcock is the anchor employer.
Devonport is the planned home port for all eight Type 26 frigates from 2028 to 2035. There's substantial nuclear-refit infrastructure investment. Babcock runs the yard.
What it pays: Devonport nuclear-cleared roles earn a wage premium.
Hiring: Babcock
UK · England (NW)
Preston / Warton / Samlesbury
GrowingDefense
Strong demand. Hiring is active.
GCAP Tempest. Typhoon. F-35 components. BAE has 2,400 new training roles across the UK in 2025.
BAE Systems has 2,400+ new apprentice, undergrad, and graduate roles in 2025, roughly 15% of its UK workforce in training. 1,500 of those are for Northern England. The GCAP next-gen fighter programme is anchored here.
What it pays: Cleared aerospace sites pay a wage premium over civilian equivalents.
Hiring: BAE Systems
UK · England (East)
East Anglia (Norwich / Great Yarmouth / Lowestoft)
GrowingEnergy
Strong demand. Hiring is active.
A top-three UK region for wind growth. £60.8 billion of private investment. 10,000 new people needed per year.
East Anglia ranks as a top-three UK region for wind growth. £60.8 billion of private investment between 2021 and 2026, peaking at £10.6 billion in 2026.
What it pays: Offshore wind roles pay a premium over the UK median.
Hiring: ScottishPower, Orsted, Vattenfall
UK · England (NE)
Sunderland / NE England (AESC + Nissan)
GrowingAdvanced manufacturing
Strong demand. Hiring is active.
AESC's battery plant opened December 2025. Six-fold increase in UK battery output. 1,000+ jobs.
AESC Plant 2 opened December 2025 at 15.8 gigawatt-hours. It supports 1,000+ jobs with £1 billion of UK government-backed financing. This represents a six-fold increase in UK battery output.
What it pays: Wages sit above the Sunderland median. £25.8K rising to £28.3K plus 12 to 30% shift allowance.
Hiring: AESC, Nissan
UK · England (SE)
Portsmouth
GrowingDefense
Strong demand. Hiring is active.
Royal Navy headquarters. One of six major UK shipyards in the 2025 shipbuilding boom.
Portsmouth is the Royal Navy's fleet headquarters and one of six major UK shipyards ramping up in 2025 alongside Barrow, Govan, Devonport, Rosyth, and Faslane.
What it pays: Shipyard marine trades earn a wage premium with a security-clearance uplift.
Hiring: BAE Systems, Morson
UK · Scotland
Rosyth / Fife (Babcock)
GrowingDefense
Strong demand. Hiring is active.
Queen Elizabeth class carrier refits. One of six UK shipyards in the 2025 boom.
Rosyth is Babcock's carrier-refit hub and one of six major UK shipyards in the current boom.
What it pays: Shipyard marine trades earn a wage premium.
Hiring: Babcock
UK · Wales
Newport / South Wales (Vishay + KLA + IQE + CSconnected)
GrowingAdvanced manufacturing
Strong demand. Hiring is active.
Europe's compound semiconductor cluster. Vishay expanding £250 million. 39% of the UK chip workforce approaching retirement.
Vishay is investing £250 million, creating 500+ jobs. KLA opened a $138 million R&D facility. The South Wales cluster generates £600 million in annual revenue, backed by the £1 billion UK National Semiconductor Strategy.
What it pays: Above regional wages. Higher than the South West Wales average.
Hiring: Vishay, KLA, IQE
UK · England (East)
Cambridge
GrowingAdvanced manufacturing
Strong demand. Hiring is active.
ARM underpins 99%+ of smartphones globally. Quantum and photonics clusters are active. Design, not assembly.
ARM's Cambridge base underpins 99%+ of smartphones globally. Quantum and photonics design clusters are active. This is chip design, not manufacturing.
What it pays: Software and design roles earn a wage premium. This is knowledge work, not trades-heavy.
Hiring: ARM
UK · England (NE)
Blyth / Cobalt Park (NE AI Growth Zone)
ComingData centers
Position yourself. 12-36 months out.
£30 billion of investment. 5,000+ new jobs. Blackstone, Nscale, OpenAI, and Nvidia. Spades in the ground.
Up to £30 billion of investment creating 5,000+ new jobs. Blackstone is building a £10 billion AI campus at Blyth. Nscale, OpenAI, and Nvidia are all establishing operations at Cobalt Park. Construction started in September 2025.
What it pays: Wage floor is rising. Skills-fund-backed training is scaling.
Hiring: Blackstone, Nscale, OpenAI, Nvidia
UK · England (NE)
Hartlepool (X-Energy/Centrica SMRs)
ComingEnergy
Position yourself. 12-36 months out.
Up to 12 advanced nuclear reactors under a UK-US pact. £12 billion for the North East. 2,500 jobs.
Up to 12 advanced modular reactors announced under the UK-US nuclear pact. Power for 1.5 million homes. The programme is valued at £12 billion in the North East with around 2,500 high-quality jobs.
What it pays: Nuclear-cleared workers earn a wage premium.
Hiring: X-Energy, Centrica
UK · England (SE)
Culham / Oxfordshire (AI Growth Zone + fusion)
ComingData centers
Position yourself. 12-36 months out.
The UK's first AI Growth Zone. Fusion research hub. A new supercomputer for the Atomic Energy Authority.
First AI Growth Zone designated. The UK Atomic Energy Authority runs the national fusion hub here. A new AI supercomputer is being built for UKAEA.
What it pays: Highly specialised roles command a significant wage premium.
Hiring: UK Atomic Energy Authority, Nscale
UK · Wales
North Wales (AI Growth Zone)
ComingData centers
Position yourself. 12-36 months out.
Newly confirmed AI Growth Zone. 3,400+ jobs. £100 billion+ of investment unlocked.
North Wales has been confirmed as an AI Growth Zone. The zone is projected to create 3,400+ jobs and unlock £100 billion+ of investment. Gigawatt-ready infrastructure.
What it pays: Skills-fund-backed wage floor is rising.
UK · England (East)
Loughton (Microsoft/Nscale AI campus)
ComingData centers
Position yourself. 12-36 months out.
Microsoft has committed $15 billion of UK capital expenditure. Nscale is building the UK's largest supercomputer.
Microsoft has committed $15 billion of UK capex. Nscale is building the UK's largest supercomputer. Loughton and Essex are becoming part of the London data centre expansion.
What it pays: Data centre-specific engineers earn a premium over standard M&E rates.
Hiring: Microsoft, Nscale
UK · Wales
Anglesey / Wylfa
ComingEnergy
Position yourself. 12-36 months out.
Designated for the UK's next large-scale nuclear site. Pre-construction phase.
Wylfa has been designated for the next large-scale UK nuclear build. Still in pre-construction, with workforce scaling expected after final investment decision.
What it pays: Nuclear-cleared wage premiums expected but not yet set.
UK · England (W Mids)
Coventry (Volklec gigafactory)
ComingAdvanced manufacturing
Position yourself. 12-36 months out.
Volklec's £1 billion gigafactory. 10 gigawatt-hours. Battery production begins 2025.
Volklec is building a £1 billion, 10 gigawatt-hour gigafactory in Coventry, due by end of decade. Battery production begins in 2025.
What it pays: A battery-manufacturing wage premium is emerging.
Hiring: Volklec
UK · England (SW)
Somerset (Tata Agratas gigafactory)
ComingAdvanced manufacturing
Position yourself. 12-36 months out.
Tata's £4 billion gigafactory. The largest EV battery plant in the UK. Opens late 2027.
Tata is building a £4 billion gigafactory with a confirmed National Grid connection and £380 million government grant. The plant opens late 2027. This will be the largest EV battery plant in the UK.
What it pays: Wages still to be confirmed but expected at the top of the UK battery market.
Hiring: Tata, Agratas
UK · Northern Ireland
Belfast (Harland & Wolff + Spirit)
ComingDefense
Position yourself. 12-36 months out.
Harland & Wolff restructuring. Fleet Solid Support ships. Boeing wing work. Northern Ireland's defence recovery.
Harland & Wolff is restructuring under new ownership with the Fleet Solid Support ships programme. Boeing Belfast (formerly Spirit/Short Brothers) runs A220 wing work.
What it pays: Wage floor is rising with Boeing's entry.
Hiring: Harland & Wolff, Boeing
UK · England (SE)
Stevenage (MBDA missiles)
ComingDefense
Position yourself. 12-36 months out.
MBDA missile production scaling to refill UK stockpiles. £4.5 billion in spending driving the push.
MBDA is scaling missile production to refill stocks drawn down by Ukraine and Israel. £4.5 billion in UK munitions spending is driving the hiring push.
What it pays: Munitions-cleared roles carry a premium.
Hiring: MBDA
UK · England (SW)
Bristol / Filton (Airbus + Rolls-Royce)
ComingDefense
Position yourself. 12-36 months out.
Airbus wings. Rolls-Royce engines. BAE Systems. Bristol anchors the UK aerospace spine.
Airbus builds A400M and A350 wings here. Rolls-Royce builds Trent engines. Bristol anchors the GCAP and Tempest engineering spine alongside BAE.
What it pays: Bristol aerospace roles earn a wage premium.
Hiring: Airbus, Rolls-Royce, BAE Systems
UK · Scotland
Edinburgh / Glasgow / Aberdeen (Scotland data centres)
ComingData centers
Position yourself. 12-36 months out.
Scotland's wind surplus makes electricity cheap. Data centres are following the power.
DataVita is expanding. CoreWeave has committed £1.5 billion. An AI Growth Zone offers a £24/megawatt-hour electricity discount in Scotland. Scotland's wind energy surplus is attracting compute investment.
What it pays: Scottish wind and data centre premiums are emerging.
Hiring: DataVita, CoreWeave
UK · England + Wales
Cheshire + Lincolnshire + Pembrokeshire (skills pilots)
ComingEnergy
Position yourself. 12-36 months out.
£2.5 million for clean energy skills pilots. Regional training programmes beginning now.
Up to £2.5 million for 2025-26 regional skills interventions for clean energy across Cheshire, Lincolnshire, and Pembrokeshire.
What it pays: Wages backed by the regional skills fund.
UK · Scotland
Faslane / Clyde
ComingDefense
Position yourself. 12-36 months out.
Royal Navy submarine base. £250 million expansion confirmed in the Strategic Defence Review.
Faslane is the Royal Navy's submarine base. The 2025 Strategic Defence Review directs £250 million of expansion investment.
What it pays: Submarine-base roles carry a wage premium.
Hiring: Babcock, MoD
US · Nevada
Thacker Pass / Humboldt County NV
GrowingAdvanced manufacturing
Strong demand. Hiring is active.
The largest lithium project under construction in the US. 1,800 workers by end of 2026.
Lithium Americas has a $2.23 billion DOE loan plus a 5% US government equity stake. 1,800 peak construction workers by end of 2026. 350 permanent roles from 2027. Bechtel is running a Project Labor Agreement. Production starts late 2027.
What it pays: Prevailing wage under the Project Labor Agreement. Electricians are in highest demand. Around 2,000 direct construction jobs.
Hiring: Lithium Americas, Bechtel
US · Ohio
Lima OH (JSMC Tank Plant)
GrowingDefense
Strong demand. Hiring is active.
The only place in America that builds main battle tanks. Workforce tripled since 2015.
The sole US main battle tank producer. M1A2 Abrams, Stryker, M10 Booker, NAMER, and M-SHORAD all built here. The Ukraine order is complete. A $2 billion facility modernisation was announced in 2024.
What it pays: UAW Local 2075 represented. Entry around $20/hr ($41K) versus the Lima median of $31K. Tank-plant roles command a wage premium.
Hiring: General Dynamics Land Systems
US · Massachusetts
Boston / Greater Boston MA
GrowingDefense
Strong demand. Hiring is active.
RTX headquarters. Raytheon missiles. MIT Lincoln Lab. Draper. The densest defense tech cluster in the US.
RTX headquarters plus Raytheon Missiles & Defense. MIT Lincoln Lab anchors federally funded research. Draper Lab, GD Mission Systems, BAE Electronic Systems, and MBDA US all operate here. Munitions production is ramping to replace Ukraine and Israel drawdowns.
What it pays: Classified-programme premium on top of already-high Massachusetts wages. Boston cost of living is real, but the compensation reflects it.
Hiring: RTX, Raytheon, MIT Lincoln Lab, Draper Lab, BAE Systems
US · California
San Diego CA (NASSCO + L3Harris + Naval Base)
GrowingDefense
Strong demand. Hiring is active.
Pacific Fleet headquarters. NASSCO shipyard. L3Harris systems. A veteran-rich hiring market.
GD NASSCO builds commercial and Navy auxiliary ships. L3Harris runs systems integration. Naval Base San Diego is Pacific Fleet headquarters. Northrop has a systems integration presence.
What it pays: Prevailing wage plus cleared premium. There's a substantial veteran-transition pipeline already in place.
Hiring: General Dynamics NASSCO, L3Harris, Northrop Grumman
US · Washington
Puget Sound / Bremerton WA (PSNS&IMF)
GrowingDefense
Strong demand. Hiring is active.
The largest US Navy shipyard. Carrier and submarine refits. Federal civil service hiring.
Puget Sound Naval Shipyard and Intermediate Maintenance Facility is the largest US Navy shipyard. The yard performs aircraft carrier and submarine refits under federal civil service rules.
What it pays: GS pay schedule plus cleared premium. Federal benefits package on top.
Hiring: US Navy (PSNS&IMF)
US · Rhode Island
Quonset Point RI (Electric Boat)
GrowingDefense
Strong demand. Hiring is active.
Electric Boat's sister facility. Virginia and Columbia class sub modules built here.
Electric Boat subassembly for Virginia and Columbia class submarines. Rapid expansion for SSN-AUKUS and Columbia ramp. This is Groton's overflow, and it's growing fast.
What it pays: Union scale plus security clearance premium.
Hiring: General Dynamics Electric Boat
US · Virginia
Virginia Beach / CVOW VA
GrowingEnergy
Strong demand. Hiring is active.
The largest US offshore wind project under construction. $9.8 billion. Dominion Energy.
Coastal Virginia Offshore Wind is a $9.8 billion project, the largest offshore wind build in the US. Dominion Energy leads the construction.
What it pays: Prevailing wage under union Project Labor Agreements. Competitive with HII shipyard wages.
Hiring: Dominion Energy
US · Texas
Taylor TX (Samsung $17B fab)
GrowingAdvanced manufacturing
Strong demand. Hiring is active.
Samsung chose Taylor over Austin for a $17 billion semiconductor fab. $40 billion more is planned.
Samsung is building a $17 billion semiconductor fab in Taylor. An additional $40 billion+ is planned. Samsung chose Taylor specifically for the expansion, not Austin.
What it pays: Above-market for cleared chip technicians. Relocation packages available.
Hiring: Samsung
US · Texas
Sherman TX (Texas Instruments)
GrowingAdvanced manufacturing
Strong demand. Hiring is active.
Texas Instruments. $30 billion. Multiple fabs. 3,000+ jobs. The Texas chip corridor keeps growing.
Texas Instruments is building a $30 billion multi-fab campus for analog chip production. 3,000+ jobs projected at full build.
What it pays: TI premium wages plus relocation assistance.
Hiring: Texas Instruments
US · Georgia
Warner Robins GA (WR-ALC)
ComingDefense
Position yourself. 12-36 months out.
Warner Robins Air Logistics Complex. F-15, C-5 Galaxy, C-130 Hercules maintenance. One of three USAF depots.
WR-ALC maintains F-15 fighters, C-5 Galaxy transports, and C-130 Hercules aircraft. One of three US Air Force depots, and a critical piece of military readiness.
What it pays: Federal GS pay schedule plus cleared and depot premiums.
Hiring: US Air Force (WR-ALC)
US · Oklahoma
Tinker AFB / Oklahoma City OK (OC-ALC)
ComingDefense
Position yourself. 12-36 months out.
26,000 people. KC-46 tanker, B-1B, B-52, and engine overhaul. The largest USAF depot by headcount.
Tinker OC-ALC has around 26,000 workers. KC-46 tanker, B-1B, B-52, E-6B, E-3 AWACS, and propulsion overhaul. It's the largest USAF depot by headcount and anchors Oklahoma City's aerospace cluster.
What it pays: Federal GS pay schedule plus aerospace trades premiums.
Hiring: US Air Force (OC-ALC)
US · West Virginia + Ohio + Pennsylvania
Appalachian Hydrogen Hub (WV/OH/PA)
ComingEnergy
Position yourself. 12-36 months out.
21,000 direct jobs. $925 million federal. Natural gas plus carbon capture. The coal communities' next chapter.
ARCH2 has up to $925 million in federal funding plus private match. 21,000 direct jobs: 18,000 in construction, 3,000 permanent. Natural gas plus carbon capture pathway. Funding maintained by the current administration.
What it pays: Prevailing wage under Project Labor Agreements. Wages that support a workforce transition from coal.
Hiring: ARCH2
US · Texas
Gulf Coast Hydrogen Hub (Houston TX)
ComingEnergy
Position yourself. 12-36 months out.
The largest US hydrogen hub. 45,000 direct jobs. $1.2 billion federal. Houston is going hydrogen.
HyVelocity has up to $1.2 billion in federal funding. 45,000 direct jobs: 35,000 in construction, 10,000 permanent. This is the largest of the seven federal hydrogen hubs.
What it pays: Gulf Coast premium plus Project Labor Agreement rates.
Hiring: HyVelocity
US · Pennsylvania + Delaware + New Jersey
Mid-Atlantic Hydrogen Hub (MACH2 PA/DE/NJ)
ComingEnergy
Position yourself. 12-36 months out.
Mid-Atlantic hydrogen hub. 20,800 jobs. $750 million federal. Funding under review.
MACH2 has up to $750 million in federal funding. 20,800 direct jobs: 14,400 in construction, 6,400 permanent. DOE awarded $18.8 million in January 2025 for Phase 1.
What it pays: Prevailing wage plus Project Labor Agreement. $14 million committed to regional workforce development.
Hiring: MACH2
US · Illinois + Indiana + Michigan
Midwest Hydrogen Hub (MachH2 IL/IN/MI)
ComingEnergy
Position yourself. 12-36 months out.
Midwest hydrogen hub across Illinois, Indiana, and Michigan. Federal funding maintained but pace may slow.
MachH2 is one of seven federally funded hydrogen hubs, spanning Illinois, Indiana, and Michigan. Focus on industrial hydrogen and transportation.
What it pays: Prevailing wage under Project Labor Agreements.
Hiring: MachH2
US · Minnesota + North Dakota + South Dakota
Heartland Hydrogen Hub (MN/ND/SD)
ComingEnergy
Position yourself. 12-36 months out.
Agricultural hydrogen in the Upper Midwest. $925 million federal. 3,880 direct jobs.
The Heartland hub has up to $925 million in federal funding. It supports 3,880 direct jobs producing agricultural hydrogen for fertiliser and ammonia. Federal funding has been maintained.
What it pays: Project Labor Agreement plus prevailing wage. Agricultural-adjacent wage scales.
Hiring: Heartland Hydrogen Hub
US · Washington + Oregon + Montana
Pacific Northwest Hydrogen Hub (PNWH2 WA/OR/MT)
ComingEnergy
Position yourself. 12-36 months out.
Pacific Northwest hydrogen hub. Washington, Oregon, and Montana. Federal funding, but pace uncertain.
PNWH2 spans Washington, Oregon, and Montana. Focus on clean hydrogen from hydroelectric and renewable sources.
What it pays: Prevailing wage under federal requirements.
Hiring: PNWH2
US · California
California Hydrogen Hub (ARCHES)
ComingEnergy
Position yourself. 12-36 months out.
California's ARCHES hydrogen hub. Renewable hydrogen. Federal funding under review.
ARCHES is California's federally funded hydrogen hub, focused on renewable hydrogen from solar, wind, and biomass sources.
What it pays: California prevailing wages. Among the highest in the country.
Hiring: ARCHES
US · California
Salton Sea CA (geothermal lithium)
ComingAdvanced manufacturing
Position yourself. 12-36 months out.
Lithium from geothermal brine. The Salton Sea could become America's lithium valley.
Multiple companies are developing lithium extraction from geothermal brine at the Salton Sea. This could create a domestic lithium supply for EV batteries.
What it pays: Specialist extraction roles command premiums. Southern California cost of living varies significantly by location.
Hiring: Berkshire Hathaway Energy, EnergySource
US · New Jersey
Paulsboro NJ (EEW offshore wind monopile)
ComingEnergy
Position yourself. 12-36 months out.
EEW's monopile fabrication facility. Building the foundations for US offshore wind. Policy uncertainty looms.
EEW operates an offshore wind monopile fabrication facility at Paulsboro. These are the steel foundations that offshore wind turbines sit on.
What it pays: Premium industrial fabrication wages.
Hiring: EEW
UK · Wales
Port Talbot
GrowingEnergy
Strong demand. Hiring is active.
The steelworks is closing. Floating offshore wind is moving in. Port Talbot's workforce is transitioning.
Port Talbot is transitioning from steel production to floating offshore wind and clean energy. The Celtic Sea floating wind pipeline is the primary growth driver.
What it pays: Offshore wind fabrication roles pay above the South Wales median. Transition support packages are available.
Hiring: Celtic Sea developers
UK · Wales
Milford Haven / Pembrokeshire (Celtic Freeport)
GrowingEnergy
Strong demand. Hiring is active.
Celtic Freeport. Hydrogen, offshore wind operations, and marine energy. Pembrokeshire is reinventing itself.
Milford Haven is anchoring the Celtic Freeport with hydrogen production, offshore wind operations, and marine energy.
What it pays: Freeport and clean energy roles carry emerging premiums.
Hiring: Celtic Freeport
UK · England (NW)
Greater Manchester (AI Growth Zone)
ComingData centers
Position yourself. 12-36 months out.
Newly confirmed AI Growth Zone. Manchester is bidding for hyperscale data centre investment.
Greater Manchester has been designated as an AI Growth Zone, positioning the city to attract hyperscale data centre and AI compute investment.
What it pays: Data centre construction and operations roles carry premiums over standard M&E rates.
UK · Wales
Anglesey Freeport (Holyhead + Energy Island)
ComingEnergy
Position yourself. 12-36 months out.
Anglesey Freeport. Tidal, wind, and hydrogen. A multi-energy island play.
Anglesey Freeport combines tidal energy, offshore wind, and hydrogen production. The Energy Island concept aims to make Anglesey a multi-energy hub.
What it pays: Freeport and energy roles carry emerging premiums.
UK · England (SW)
Cornwall (Cornish Lithium + Cornish Tin)
ComingAdvanced manufacturing
Position yourself. 12-36 months out.
Lithium and tin from Cornish mines. Critical minerals extraction is coming back to the UK.
Cornish Lithium and Cornish Tin are developing critical minerals extraction from historic Cornish mining sites. The UK's domestic supply chain for battery materials starts here.
What it pays: Specialist extraction roles command a premium. Cornwall cost of living is lower than the South East.
Hiring: Cornish Lithium, Cornish Tin
UK · England (NW)
Merseyside / Liverpool
ComingData centers
Position yourself. 12-36 months out.
Data centres and offshore wind supply chain. Liverpool is building its Next Economy infrastructure.
Merseyside is developing data centre capacity and offshore wind supply chain operations. Liverpool's port and industrial infrastructure provides the foundation.
What it pays: Emerging data centre and wind premiums over standard Merseyside rates.
UK · Scotland
Grangemouth (Scotland)
ComingEnergy
Position yourself. 12-36 months out.
Scotland's oil refinery is transitioning. Same site, different energy. The workers transfer too.
Grangemouth's refinery is transitioning from fossil fuel processing to clean energy. The industrial site and its workforce are being repurposed.
What it pays: Transition roles are expected to maintain or exceed refinery-level wages.
Hiring: Petroineos
US · Michigan
Detroit Arsenal / Sterling Heights MI (TACOM + GDLS)
GrowingDefense
Strong demand. Hiring is active.
TACOM and General Dynamics Land Systems. The engineering center for US ground combat vehicles.
Detroit Arsenal and Sterling Heights house TACOM (the Army's ground vehicle command) and General Dynamics Land Systems. This is where ground combat vehicles are engineered and programme-managed.
What it pays: Defense engineering premiums on top of Michigan's competitive automotive base.
Hiring: General Dynamics Land Systems, US Army TACOM
US · Florida
Jacksonville FL (BAE Systems shipyard)
GrowingDefense
Strong demand. Hiring is active.
BAE Systems shipyard. Commercial and Navy work. Florida's other maritime hub.
BAE Systems operates a shipyard handling both commercial and Navy maintenance work. Jacksonville is a growing maritime hub alongside the Space Coast.
What it pays: Shipyard rates plus the Florida tax advantage.
Hiring: BAE Systems
US · New York
Malta / Saratoga County NY (GlobalFoundries + Wolfspeed Marcy)
GrowingAdvanced manufacturing
Strong demand. Hiring is active.
GlobalFoundries' main US fab. Wolfspeed expanding. Upstate New York's semiconductor anchor.
GlobalFoundries operates its primary US semiconductor fab in Malta. Wolfspeed is expanding at Marcy. Upstate New York is building a semiconductor cluster alongside Micron in Syracuse.
What it pays: Semiconductor fabrication roles command premium wages. Cost of living is significantly lower than downstate.
Hiring: GlobalFoundries, Wolfspeed
US · New Hampshire + Maine
Portsmouth NH / Kittery ME (Portsmouth Naval Shipyard US)
GrowingDefense
Strong demand. Hiring is active.
The oldest continuously operating US Navy shipyard. Submarine refits. Federal civil service.
Portsmouth Naval Shipyard performs submarine refits and is a critical piece of the Navy's maintenance infrastructure. Continuous operations since 1800.
What it pays: Federal GS pay schedule plus clearance premium.
Hiring: US Navy (Portsmouth Naval Shipyard)
US · New York
Buffalo NY / Amherst NY (Tesla Gigafactory 2 + Moog + Northrop)
ComingAdvanced manufacturing
Position yourself. 12-36 months out.
Tesla Gigafactory 2 plus Moog and Northrop. Western New York's advanced manufacturing cluster.
Tesla Gigafactory 2 handles solar and energy storage. Moog builds precision motion control for aerospace and defense. Northrop has a local presence.
What it pays: Advanced manufacturing premiums. Buffalo cost of living is among the lowest in New York state.
Hiring: Tesla, Moog, Northrop Grumman
US · Iowa + Minnesota
Council Bluffs IA + Altoona IA + Rosemount MN (data centres)
ComingData centers
Position yourself. 12-36 months out.
Hyperscale data centers across Iowa and Minnesota. Cheap power and cold air. Perfect conditions.
Google, Meta, and Microsoft all operate hyperscale data centers across Iowa and Minnesota. Cheap power and natural cooling make the region attractive.
What it pays: Hyperscaler wage floors with Midwest cost of living. The maths works well.
Hiring: Google, Meta, Microsoft
US · Louisiana
New Orleans / Baton Rouge LA (petrochemical corridor)
GrowingEnergy
Strong demand. Hiring is active.
The petrochemical corridor. Refineries, chemical plants, and constant maintenance work.
Louisiana's petrochemical corridor runs continuous operations. Refineries and chemical plants require constant maintenance, turnaround, and expansion work.
What it pays: Gulf Coast petrochemical wages with overtime. Process plant operators and instrumentation techs earn well above regional medians.
Hiring: Shell, ExxonMobil, Dow
UK · England (Yorkshire and Humber)
Immingham + Grimsby (offshore wind detail)
GrowingEnergy
Strong demand. Hiring is active.
Offshore wind operations and maintenance hub. Siemens Gamesa, Ørsted, and RWE all operate from here.
Immingham and Grimsby are the UK's primary offshore wind operations and maintenance hub. Siemens Gamesa, Ørsted, and RWE all run operations from these ports.
What it pays: Offshore wind O&M roles pay a premium. Offshore allowances on top.
Hiring: Siemens Gamesa, Orsted, RWE
UK · Scotland
Orkney + Shetland + Outer Hebrides
ComingEnergy
Position yourself. 12-36 months out.
Tidal, wave, and wind energy. The UK's most remote energy frontier. Premium pay for those willing to go.
Orkney, Shetland, and the Outer Hebrides are at the frontier of tidal, wave, and offshore wind energy. Test sites and demonstration projects are active.
What it pays: Remote-location premiums apply. Island allowances on top of base pay.
Hiring: EMEC, SSE
UK · England (NW)
Crewe
ComingAdvanced manufacturing
Position yourself. 12-36 months out.
Bentley's EV transition. Rolls-Royce Motor Cars nearby. The Cheshire luxury auto cluster is going electric.
Bentley is transitioning to electric vehicle production at Crewe. Rolls-Royce Motor Cars operates nearby. The Cheshire luxury automotive cluster is retooling for electrification.
What it pays: Luxury automotive wages. Premium over standard UK manufacturing rates.
Hiring: Bentley, Rolls-Royce Motor Cars
UK · England (SW + SE)
Cheltenham + Harwell
ComingDefense
Position yourself. 12-36 months out.
GCHQ headquarters plus the Harwell science campus. Cyber and fusion research in the Cotswolds.
Cheltenham hosts GCHQ headquarters. Harwell is a major science campus with fusion research, space, and data facilities.
What it pays: Cleared roles carry premiums. South West/Oxfordshire cost of living is moderate relative to London.
Hiring: GCHQ, UK Atomic Energy Authority
UK · England (SE)
Port of Dover + London Gateway
ComingConstruction
Position yourself. 12-36 months out.
The UK's busiest passenger port plus a growing container terminal. Construction and maritime logistics.
Dover handles more passenger traffic than any UK port. London Gateway is expanding as a container terminal. Both require ongoing construction and operational staff.
What it pays: Port operator wages with shift premiums. Construction roles at prevailing rates.
Hiring: DP World
US · California
Inland Empire CA (Amazon + logistics cluster)
Go nowLogistics
Peak demand. Apply today.
America's largest inland logistics hub. Warehouses stretching to the horizon. Constant hiring.
The Inland Empire is the largest inland logistics hub in the US. Amazon, FedEx, UPS, and hundreds of other operators run massive warehouse and distribution operations here.
What it pays: Amazon and major logistics operators set competitive wage floors. California cost of living is a factor, but the Inland Empire is cheaper than coastal metros.
Hiring: Amazon, FedEx, UPS
US · Tennessee
Memphis TN (FedEx SuperHub + Amazon)
GrowingLogistics
Strong demand. Hiring is active.
FedEx's global SuperHub. The sorting center that runs American e-commerce.
Memphis hosts FedEx's global SuperHub, one of the most critical logistics nodes in the US. Amazon has expanded its presence significantly.
What it pays: FedEx and Amazon set competitive wage floors. Tennessee has no state income tax.
Hiring: FedEx, Amazon
US · Kentucky
Louisville KY (UPS Worldport)
GrowingLogistics
Strong demand. Hiring is active.
UPS Worldport. The largest automated package handling facility in the world.
Louisville hosts UPS Worldport, the world's largest automated package handling facility. It's the backbone of UPS's global air network.
What it pays: UPS offers competitive wages plus benefits for full-time roles. Kentucky cost of living is favourable.
Hiring: UPS
UK · England (East Midlands)
UK Midlands Golden Triangle (Magna Park + DIRFT + Lutterworth)
Go nowLogistics
Peak demand. Apply today.
The UK's logistics golden triangle. If it ships in Britain, it probably came through here.
Magna Park, DIRFT, and the Lutterworth corridor form the UK's logistics heart. Central location, motorway access, and massive warehouse footprint make this the default hub for national distribution.
What it pays: Competitive warehouse and logistics rates. Midlands cost of living is relatively low.
Hiring: Amazon, DHL, Royal Mail
UK · England (SE + East)
London Gateway + Port of Felixstowe (port logistics)
GrowingLogistics
Strong demand. Hiring is active.
The UK's two busiest container ports. Automation increasing but operators still needed.
London Gateway and Felixstowe are the UK's busiest container ports. Expansion and automation investment is ongoing at both.
What it pays: Port operator wages carry a premium over standard warehouse rates.
Hiring: DP World, Hutchison Ports
US · Maryland
Fort Meade MD (US Cyber Command + NSA)
Go nowCybersecurity
Peak demand. Apply today.
US Cyber Command and NSA. The beating heart of American cyber operations. Cleared operators only.
Fort Meade houses both US Cyber Command and the National Security Agency. This is the center of gravity for American cyber operations.
What it pays: Cleared cyber operators earn significant premiums. DC-area cost of living is high but compensation matches.
Hiring: NSA, US Cyber Command, Booz Allen Hamilton, Leidos
US · Texas
Joint Base San Antonio-Lackland TX
GrowingCybersecurity
Strong demand. Hiring is active.
Where the Air Force trains its cyber operators. The pipeline starts here.
Joint Base San Antonio-Lackland is where the Air Force trains cyber warfare operators. The base anchors San Antonio's growing cyber cluster.
What it pays: Cleared cyber roles in San Antonio pay well with a significantly lower cost of living than DC or California.
Hiring: US Air Force, Booz Allen Hamilton, SAIC
US · Colorado
Colorado Springs CO (Space Force + NORAD cyber)
GrowingCybersecurity
Strong demand. Hiring is active.
Space Force. NORAD. Peterson and Schriever bases. Cleared cyber and space operations.
Colorado Springs hosts Space Force headquarters, NORAD, and Peterson and Schriever bases. Cleared cyber and space operations roles anchor the market.
What it pays: Cleared space and cyber premiums. Colorado Springs cost of living is lower than Denver.
Hiring: US Space Force, Northrop Grumman, L3Harris
UK · England (NW)
Manchester UK (GCHQ + private SOC cluster)
ComingCybersecurity
Position yourself. 12-36 months out.
GCHQ North. Growing private security operations centre cluster. Manchester is the UK's second cyber city.
GCHQ has a Manchester presence. A growing cluster of private security operations centres is making Manchester the UK's second cyber hub after Cheltenham.
What it pays: Cyber security roles pay above the Manchester median. Clearance adds a premium.
Hiring: GCHQ, BAE Systems
UK · England (SE + London)
Thames Water region (London + SE England water)
Go nowWater
Peak demand. Apply today.
£19.8 billion investment over five years. Thames Water alone needs thousands of workers. Nobody talks about water.
Thames Water's AMP8 programme is one of the largest infrastructure investments in southern England. Pipe replacement, treatment plant upgrades, and network resilience work are all ramping.
What it pays: Water utility roles are stable, well-paid, and come with strong pension and benefits packages.
Hiring: Thames Water
UK · England (West + East Midlands)
Severn Trent (Midlands water)
GrowingWater
Strong demand. Hiring is active.
Severn Trent's AMP8 programme. Multi-billion-pound infrastructure investment across the Midlands.
Severn Trent's AMP8 programme covers pipe replacement, treatment upgrades, and network resilience across the Midlands.
What it pays: Stable utility wages with pension and benefits.
Hiring: Severn Trent
UK · England + Wales
UK water sector (overall AMP8)
Go nowWater
Peak demand. Apply today.
AMP8: £88 billion across the UK water sector over five years. The biggest infrastructure cycle most people have never heard of.
AMP8 is the UK water regulator's investment cycle. £88 billion across all water companies over five years for pipe replacement, treatment upgrades, flood resilience, and environmental improvements.
What it pays: Stable, well-paid utility roles with strong benefits and pensions. Not glamorous. Very secure.
US · Multiple states
US water infrastructure (national)
GrowingWater
Strong demand. Hiring is active.
Lead pipe replacement. Treatment plant upgrades. Billions in federal funding. America's water infrastructure is being rebuilt.
The Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act directs billions toward lead pipe replacement, treatment plant upgrades, and water system modernisation across the US.
What it pays: Water utility roles offer stable wages, benefits, and pensions. Union rates apply in many markets.
US · Virginia
Dominion Energy Virginia (utilities + grid)
GrowingUtilities
Strong demand. Hiring is active.
Dominion Energy is powering Northern Virginia's data center explosion. The grid needs people to build it.
Dominion Energy is expanding generation and transmission capacity to support Northern Virginia's data center corridor. Grid infrastructure investment is massive and ongoing.
What it pays: Utility linemen earn strong wages with overtime. Union rates apply.
Hiring: Dominion Energy
US · Multiple states
US utilities grid (national linemen shortage)
GrowingUtilities
Strong demand. Hiring is active.
The US needs tens of thousands of new linemen. The grid is ageing. The workforce is ageing faster.
The US electrical grid requires massive investment in transmission, distribution, and modernisation. Every data center, every EV charger, and every solar farm needs grid capacity.
What it pays: Linemen earn strong wages, typically $70K to $100K+ with overtime. Union apprenticeships are the standard pathway.
UK · England + Wales
National Grid UK regional partnerships
Go nowUtilities
Peak demand. Apply today.
National Grid is investing billions in the UK's electricity network. The workforce pipeline isn't keeping up.
National Grid is expanding and upgrading the UK's electricity transmission network to support net zero, data centres, and electrification. Multi-billion-pound investment over the next decade.
What it pays: National Grid roles are well-paid with strong benefits. High-voltage specialisms carry additional premiums.
Hiring: National Grid
US · Nevada + California
Brightline West corridor (Las Vegas to Rancho Cucamonga)
GrowingLogistics
Strong demand. Hiring is active.
America's first true high-speed rail. Las Vegas to LA. Billions in construction. Thousands of jobs.
Brightline West is building high-speed rail from Las Vegas to Rancho Cucamonga. Billions in construction spending with thousands of construction jobs.
What it pays: Prevailing wage under Project Labor Agreements. Per diem for travel workers.
Hiring: Brightline West
US · California
California High-Speed Rail (Central Valley)
GrowingLogistics
Strong demand. Hiring is active.
California's high-speed rail is under construction in the Central Valley. Slow progress, real jobs.
California High-Speed Rail is under active construction in the Central Valley. Progress has been slow and politically fraught, but the construction workforce is real and employed.
What it pays: California prevailing wages. High cost of living is partially offset by Central Valley pricing.
Hiring: California High-Speed Rail Authority
UK · England (Oxford-Cambridge)
UK Network Rail + East West Rail
ComingLogistics
Position yourself. 12-36 months out.
Network Rail upgrades plus East West Rail. Multi-year UK rail construction pipeline.
Network Rail runs continuous upgrade and maintenance programmes across the UK network. East West Rail is a new line connecting Oxford, Milton Keynes, and Cambridge.
What it pays: Rail construction roles carry premiums, particularly for weekend and night work.
Hiring: Network Rail, East West Rail
US · South Carolina
Boeing Charleston SC (commercial aerospace)
GrowingCommercial aerospace
Strong demand. Hiring is active.
Boeing builds the 787 Dreamliner here. Charleston is Boeing's non-union production anchor.
Boeing's Charleston facility builds the 787 Dreamliner. It's Boeing's primary non-union production site and a critical part of the commercial aircraft supply chain.
What it pays: Boeing competitive wages. South Carolina cost of living is favourable.
Hiring: Boeing
US · Washington
Puget Sound WA (commercial aerospace Boeing)
GrowingCommercial aerospace
Strong demand. Hiring is active.
Boeing's original home. 737 MAX and 777X production. The workforce is rebuilding after the strike.
Puget Sound is Boeing's headquarters for commercial aviation. 737 MAX and 777X production are the primary lines. The workforce is being rebuilt after the 2024 strike and production disruptions.
What it pays: IAM union wages. Pacific Northwest cost of living is high but wages reflect it.
Hiring: Boeing
US · Oklahoma
Tulsa OK (American Airlines MRO)
GrowingCommercial aerospace
Strong demand. Hiring is active.
American Airlines' largest maintenance base. The planes come here to get fixed.
Tulsa hosts American Airlines' largest maintenance, repair, and overhaul facility. It's one of the biggest airline MRO operations in the world.
What it pays: Competitive A&P mechanic wages. Oklahoma cost of living is low.
Hiring: American Airlines
UK · Wales + England (SW)
Airbus Broughton UK + Filton + BA Cardiff
GrowingCommercial aerospace
Strong demand. Hiring is active.
Airbus wings at Broughton. BA maintenance at Cardiff. The UK's commercial aerospace corridor.
Airbus builds wings at Broughton in North Wales. British Airways runs maintenance operations at Cardiff. These sites form part of the UK's commercial aerospace manufacturing base.
What it pays: Aerospace manufacturing wages with premiums for specialised composite and assembly skills.
Hiring: Airbus, British Airways