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  2. Why the UK / Talent

An international and specialist workforce

Accessing home and international talent

Draw on the UK's deep pool of talent to power your business growth

The UK's offer

  • Recruit from 2.4 million strong talent pool of workers in financial and professional services
  • Attract the best of international talent - with London ranked most appealing destination for global workers in the BCG Global Talent Survey
  • Benefit from a diverse workforce with deep global connections to every corner of the world - 300 languages spoken daily
  • Stay ahead with access to the best of international tech talent - London has the highest share of AI engineering talent in Europe

Tap into the UK's wealth of talent

With great quality of life, a vibrant and diverse culture and an open and welcoming attitude - the UK is both a magnet for global talent and a deep pool of high-skilled homegrown talent. Firms can recruit from a pool of 2.4 million specialist financial and professional services workers UK-wide. 

A global centre of academic excellence, with strong links between academic institutes and business, the UK is home to the high skilled sectors shaping the future of finance and is growing the skills it needs to stay competitive: London hosts more highly qualified AI experts than any other European city. And with 65% of its workers high skilled, it is home to one of the most skilled workforces in the world.

680,000

The UK attracts 680,000 international students

2 of the top 5

ranked universities in the world are in the UK

16 of 100

top universities in the world for finance and related subjects are in the UK

A pipeline of high skilled talent

The UK is recognised as a global centre of academic excellence and its universities are consistently ranked amongst the best in the world. As a result, it attracts a very large volume of students from abroad, contributing strongly to the diverse and high-quality talent pool the financial and professional sector benefits from. 

London is often cited as a top location of choice for internationally mobile and skilled people, and it offers the very best of professional courses and training for professionals across the financial and professional services sector. There are more than 1 million students in financial and related business subjects, ensuring a pipeline of graduates that will support ongoing growth and innovation. 

Thought Piece

International FPS firms access the workers they need in the UK

International FPS firms access the workers they need in the UK

Our work

Our work at the City of London Corporation works to ensure that London and the UK cultivates a strong pipeline of skills and talent for the UK financial and professional services (FPS) to ensure the sector can sustain its long-term global competitiveness. 

2.4m people in the UK employed in
financial and professional services

We do this by running targeted projects, producing insights and generating recommendations to inform policy approaches with the objective of instigating systemic changes within the FPS sector. We also advocate for the continued support from the Government in the development of skills in and for the financial and professional services sector across the UK. 

Our aim is to work towards creating a positive, lifelong learning culture, backed by employer investment, which supports the creation of a domestic pool of talent and attract the best global talent. This culture and investment will allow employees to stay in work while positively and productively contributing within their roles, and for businesses to invest in the ongoing upskilling of their employees and recruit the best from the widest pool of talent. 

As part of this work, we co-founded the Financial Services Skills Commission (FSSC), an independent, not for profit, member-led body, representing the UK’s financial services sector on skills. The FSSC aims to increase the supply of talent, with the required skills, and address the major skills gaps impacting the UK’s financial services sector.

The Women Pivoting to Digital Taskforce

The Women Pivoting to Digital Taskforce

Identifying and bridging skill gaps to ensure a globally competitive sustainable commercial built environment

The Skills for a Sustainable Skyline Taskforce

The Skills for a Sustainable Skyline Taskforce

Addressing emerging skill gaps, championing reskilling and upskilling, and helping to build adaptable, skilled workforces ready for the future

Progress Together

Progress Together

Global competition and emerging trends

International talent and economic growth

International talent and economic growth

Partner Story

Managed Funds Association

Managed Funds Association

Partner Story

Aon

Aon

Partner Story

CDPR

CDPR

Partner Story

Tradeweb

Tradeweb

See more case studies

"I think in London you can pretty much find anyone with any kind of intellectual strength that you want."

Omar Majid, Director Salonica Group

"When we get asked why don’t you move more jobs to Europe, show me a European landscape that offers the same opportunities. London still offers a lot more talent and jobs."

Axel Weber UBS Chairman

"In terms of talent, the Birmingham-based Silicon canal area is rife. There is a real high quality of talent based in the Midlands and there are quite a lot of tech hubs from fintech through to legaltech around here too."

Elizabeth Basten, Chief Marketing Officer Clarilis