The top 10 jobs facing the biggest shortages in the UK have been revealed, with teaching assistants topping the list.

The Skills Network (TSN) analysed 1.5 million job adverts between March and September 2020 and found that adverts for teaching assistant jobs appeared 41,343 times, followed closely by adverts for HGV/LGV drivers, which appeared 41,249 times.

Family support workers, home care social workers, and personal care assistants also made the top 10 list, with more than 37,071, 32,946 and 28,100 adverts respectively. 

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The top 10 roles facing shortages in the UK

1. Teaching assistants: 41,434
2. HGV/LGV drivers: 41,349
3. Family support workers: 37,071
4. Home care social workers: 32,946
5. Personal care assistants: 28,100
6. Surveyors: 25,016
7. Teachers: 23,967
8. Project managers: 22,885
9. Bathroom cleaners: 22,835
10. Registered nurses: 21,530

The top 10 most in-demand occupations

The data also revealed which occupations were in the most demand - with nurses coming top with 303,436 adverts. Sales accounts and business development managers came in second with 197,197 adverts, and care workers and home carers third with 196,853. 

1. Nurses: 303,436
2. Sales accounts and business development managers: 197,197
3. Care workers and home carers: 196,853
4. Programmers and software development professionals: 178,827
5. Primary and nursery education teaching professionals: 112,200
6. Finance and investment analysts and advisors: 108,231
7. Van drivers: 108,231
8. Bookkeepers, payroll managers and wages clerks: 103,914
9. Cleaners and domestics: 96,032
10. Elementary storage occupations: 95,919

The 10 fastest-growing job roles

The fastest-growing job role between June 2020 and September 2020 was account consultants - job adverts had increased by 411 per cent on last year. Auctioneers came in second with 372 per cent growth, and commercial drivers in third with 310 per cent growth. 

1. Account consultants: 411 per cent

2. Auctioneers: 372 per cent

3. Commercial drivers: 310 per cent

4. Kitchen workers: 286 per cent

5. Retail cosmetics sales beauty advisors: 189 per cent

6. Staff writers: 181 per cent

7. HGV/LGV drivers: 170 per cent

8. Wireline operators: 158 per cent

9. Dairy workers: 158 per cent

10. Prepared foods team leaders: 149 per cent

The report also found that construction, digital marketing, online retail, employment law, online learning and technology were all growing sectors despite the impact of Covid-19.

However, hospitality and leisure, aviation, high-street retail and the food and drink supply industry were the sectors worst affected by Covid. 

To read the full skills and employment trends report, please click here.