Skilled Trades, Sales, and Management Dominate Europe’s Hottest Job Markets, New Report Reveals

London, UK – As Europe’s job market adapts to technological innovation and growing skills shortages, new data has identified the sectors with the most urgent demand for workers. A recent analysis of job postings on the global hiring platform Indeed shows that installation & maintenance, sales, and management roles consistently rank among the top five most in-demand professions in the UK, Germany, France, and the Netherlands.

The report, compiled by Euronews Business using data from March to May 2025, offers a clear snapshot of the continent’s evolving employment landscape. As policymakers call for action to address labour gaps, these findings highlight where the opportunities lie for job seekers today.

The Core Trio: The Most In-Demand Jobs Across Europe

Across the four major European economies, three sectors have emerged as universal leaders in hiring:

• Installation & Maintenance: This sector is in particularly high demand in Germany, where it accounts for a staggering 14.5% of all job postings. It also ranks second in the Netherlands (9%), fourth in France (6.9%), and fifth in the UK (5.7%). These roles, which involve repairing and servicing essential infrastructure and equipment, are crucial across nearly every industry. “Because every industry needs maintenance workers, it can be a reliable career choice for you,” Indeed notes.

• Management: Leadership and organisational roles are highly sought after, representing 10.2% of job ads in the UK and 10.1% in the Netherlands, ranking first or second in both countries. The demand is also strong in France (7.6%) and Germany (6.4%).

• Sales: The ability to drive revenue remains a critical skill for businesses. Sales positions make up 9.9% of postings in Germany and 9.2% in France, topping the list or coming in a close second. The sector also shows significant demand in the Netherlands (8.5%) and the UK (6.7%).

Hospitality, Admin, and Tech Also Show Strong Demand

While the top three sectors are consistent, other roles also feature prominently. Food preparation and service is the single most in-demand sector in the UK, at 10.4% of all postings, and ranks second in France (7.8%).

Administrative assistance also remains a vital function for businesses, with notable shares in Germany (7.2%), the UK (4.7%), and the Netherlands (4.4%).

Despite headlines often focusing on tech, software development ranks sixth on average across the four nations with a 3.9% share. Germany shows the strongest appetite for developers (5%), followed by the Netherlands (3.8%), France (3.5%), and the UK (3.1%).

Country-Specific Needs Highlight Diverse Labour Markets

A closer look at national data reveals unique hiring priorities:

• United Kingdom: Alongside food service, the care sector is a major employer, with personal care & home health ranking fourth (6.3%). Education & instruction is also a key area of demand (5.3%).

• Germany: The German job market is dominated by technical and administrative roles. In addition to leading in maintenance jobs, there is high demand for IT operations & helpdesk professionals (4.3%).

• France: The French market shows a significant need for healthcare workers. Nursing (4.2%), personal care & home health (4%), and physicians & surgeons (3.6%) are all in high demand, alongside a strong need for cleaning & sanitation roles (5.4%).

• Netherlands: Healthcare is also a critical priority here, with nursing ranking as the fourth most in-demand sector at an impressive 8.3% of job postings. The Netherlands also shows a uniquely high demand for childcare professionals.

The Future of Work: AI, Green Energy, and Biotech on the Horizon

Looking ahead, the nature of top-tier jobs is expected to shift. Pawel Adrjan, Director of Economic Research at Indeed, told Euronews Business that emerging fields will soon produce the next wave of high-paying roles.

“We anticipate that AI/GenAI, cybersecurity, green energy, and biotechnology will produce new top-earning job titles over the next 5–10 years,” Adrjan stated.

Positions like AI ethicist, GenAI engineer, and climate data analyst are already gaining traction. As demand for this specialised expertise grows, these roles are expected to become some of the most sought-after and well-compensated in the European job market.