What job should I do? Five careers you haven’t heard of
Check out these cool jobs you could do!
Get future job ideas
So, you've started thinking about what you want to do after school.
That's where we can help! For inspiration, look at these five amazing careers you might not have heard of.
Our Option Choices tool can give you ideas too, by showing you the roles that your subjects can lead to.
Five careers you might not have heard of
We realise more than 600 job profiles might be a little daunting to look through. So we've picked out five careers that are on the rise but you probably haven't heard of!
Biotechnologist
Fancy using technology to develop new products – ones that improve our health, our environment and our food? Not to mention rocking a cool lab coat while you do it. This might be the career for you.
You'll wield the power of science to create everything from new treatments for diseases to renewable sources of energy!
Future prospects:
In Scotland, 700 more jobs are expected to exist in five years for this career and similar roles.
Useful subjects:
- Biology
- Chemistry
- Engineering science
- Mathematics
- Applications of Mathematics
- Physics
- Skills for Work: Laboratory Science
- Foundation Apprenticeship: Scientific Technologies (Laboratory Skills)
Check out the biotechnologist job profile.
Heating and ventilation engineer
Want something more hands-on? Build towards a career in the construction industry, installing heating and ventilation systems in homes and businesses.
Not only are you doing a great service for people and organisations, but you're also helping the environment. Part of your role would be to create more energy efficient systems, helping the country work towards its climate goals.
Future prospects:
In Scotland, 700 more jobs are expected to exist in five years for this career and similar roles.
Useful subjects:
- Design and Manufacture
- Engineering Science
- Physics
- Practical Electronics
- Practical Metalwork
- Skills for Work: Engineering Skills
- Foundation Apprenticeship: Construction
- Foundation Apprenticeship: Engineering
Check out the heating and ventilation engineer job profile.
AR/VR programmer
Create products that use groundbreaking technologies such as augmented reality (AR) and virtual reality (VR).
Love video games? Be a part of their future by creating exciting new products. That's not the only area using these technologies though. You could work in lots of interesting fields like creating training programmes for astronauts preparing for missions in space!
Future prospects:
In Scotland, 1,800 more jobs are expected to exist in five years for this career and similar roles.
Useful subjects:
- Art and Design
- Computing Science
- Mathematics
- Applications of Mathematics
- Physics
- Skills for Work: Creative Digital Media
- Foundation Apprenticeship: Creative and Digital Media
- Foundation Apprenticeship: Software Development
Check out the AR/VR programmer job profile.
Medical illustrator
A creative and colourful career for anyone with an artistic streak and an interest in medicine.
Use your talent to create images that document medical illnesses and treatments. These can help educate others, inform research, improve treatments and lots more!
Future prospects:
In Scotland, 400 more jobs are expected to exist in five years for this career and similar roles.
Useful subjects:
- Art and Design
- Graphic Communication
- Human Biology
- Photography
- Skills for Work: Creative Digital Media
Check out the medical illustrator job profile.
Machine learning engineer
Help shape the world by shaping the technology we rely on every day. Machine learning is a process for teaching computers how to 'learn' to do things, so they improve over time. It can result in fascinating and useful software like voice recognition or self-driving cars.
You'll write code, use data and work with algorithms. If that sounds like your idea of fun, you could have a future in this role.
Future prospects:
In Scotland, 1,800 more jobs are expected to exist in five years for this career and similar roles.
Useful subjects:
- Computing Science
- Foundation Apprenticeship: Software Development
