If you are interested in a job where you get the chance to think creatively, and influence how other people think or act, then working in the communications and media industry is the place to be.
We all watch TV, including the adverts, and are targeted by marketing campaigns. We read books and newspapers. We very often take on board the attitudes promoted by people who work in this industry. We want to have the products they advertise.
There are many different types of careers to choose from in this sector, including: advertising, marketing and public relations (PR); journalism; media and broadcasting; and publishing and writing.
To see the routes to getting into each of these sectors, take a look at our Career Pathway.
For some careers such as TV or journalism, you would work for a specific type of company, but in areas such as PR and marketing you could be working for a company in any type of industry.
If you want to enter work in any of these sectors, entry is very competitive so you will need determination and persistence to get into many careers. Apart from marketing and printing, short term contracts and freelance work are common.
There were estimated to be approximately 197,500 marketing associate professionals working in the UK in December 2024, compared with 202,800 in March 2024. 1 As of December 2024 in Scotland, there were 12,600, compared to 15,600 in March 2024. 2
The UK’s publishing industry, which relies heavily on exports, particularly to the USA, produced £7 billion in revenue in 2023, a 3% increase on 2022. The Publisher's Association predicts that demand for exports will grow an additional 20% by 2033. 3
The latest report from Publishing Scotland in 2022 reports there are 116 publishing companies in Scotland, mostly based in the central belt, that publish over 2,000 books a year. 5 Some are large firms, and part of global corporations, such as Harper Collins, while many others are very small - yet successful - prize winning firms.
The world of journalism encompasses both print and online media content. According to NOMIS, as of December 2024 there were 3,900 people working as newspaper and periodical journalists and reporters in Scotland, a decrease of 1,500 since March 2024 2. These declining numbers are supported by the Prospects website, which reports that newsrooms are shrinking due to the decline of print publications and the challenges of making money from online news. It reports that there are only around 50,000 journalists in reporting and editing roles for written and broadcast media in the UK. 6
Scotland’s screen sector contributes £617.4 million to the economy and employs over 10,860 people. Screen Scotland announced a new strategy to set a target of £1 billion of added economic value by 2030. 7
ScreenSkills is the industry-led skills charity for the screen industries. Find out more about various careers by visiting their website www.screenskills.com.
The BBC have a great careers section with information about getting into the industry via work experience, trainee schemes and apprenticeships. Check out the site at www.bbc.co.uk/careers.
MeCCSA UK
