From scrum masters to food safety inspectors: These are high-paying jobs that do not require a degree

Top paying jobs not needing a degree range from construction managers and food safety inspectors – to a “scrum master”, according to new research.
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A “scrum” job is nothing to do with rugby, but involves working with a team of technology staff, with project management roles commanding average salaries worth more than £66,000 a year.

Jobs site Adzuna analysed more than 1.2 million vacancies, revealing the highest paid positions on offer that do not require jobseekers to have a degree.

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The list includes six roles with average advertised salaries above £60,000, including scrum master, construction manager, food safety inspectors, private chauffeurs and ethical hacker, which involves an employee probing for security vulnerabilities that a criminal may wish to exploit.

Some top paying jobs  do not need a degreeSome top paying jobs  do not need a degree
Some top paying jobs do not need a degree
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Adzuna said that as the job market evolves, new positions are emerging providing more lucrative opportunities for non-graduates, such as an “influencer marketing manager”, described as a role involving managing relationships with influential people critical to a brand’s social media presence.

Social savvy and communication skills are a must but a degree is not required, with jobs paying £40,677 on average and more than 500 jobs available.

Andrew Hunter, co-founder of Adzuna, said 2022 will be a year of financial opportunity for degreeless jobseekers, adding: “Tight labour market conditions mean employers are casting their hiring nets wider than ever before to catch candidates with the right skills, and they’re offering tantalising pay packets as bait.

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“For many roles, self-taught skills are more important than a formal education, particularly in soaring sectors like IT and trade and construction.

“Scrum Masters, for example, are earning upwards of £66,000, and while knowledge of the scrum system and top notch project management skills are needed for success, a degree isn’t.

“As more high-paying careers open up to school-leavers, the hefty price tag that comes with further education is weighing heavier and we expect more jobseekers to choose the non-academic route.”

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