With charming neighbourhoods, beautiful parks, great public transport links, and a wide variety of restaurants and bars, it’s no surprise that Edinburgh is a city that finds itself at the top of the charts regarding quality of life. This balance of work and leisure makes Edinburgh an ideal city for young professionals eager to make their mark in the business world.

We explore some of the many opportunities that make Edinburgh a magnet for the young and ambitious.

A Hive of Young Minds

Edinburgh is home to four top universities that see thousands of highly talented students graduate each year. Community of young people looking to start their careers hungry to get their teeth into the world of business.

Edinburgh is a prime destination for firms seeking to recruit some of the brightest minds. Several large global businesses have Edinburgh offices as well as numerous blue-chip international technology companies. It is due to these career opportunities and grad schemes that many students choose to stay in Edinburgh after graduation.

Punching Above Its Weight

With a highly educated workforce, businesses are drawn to the city. Despite not even ranking in the 10 most populous cities in the UK Edinburgh punches well above its weight in many business sectors:

Finance - Employing over 57,000 people and exporting £4.9 billion in financial and professional services annually, Edinburgh's Financial Centre is the second largest in the UK, behind London, the 10th largest in Western Europe, and the 33rd largest globally according to the Global Financial Centres Index.

Tech - The University of Edinburgh has been a pioneer in AI research since the 1960s, positioning the city at the forefront of technology. Edinburgh has produced billion-dollar tech start-ups like Skyscanner and FanDuel and was home to 280 high-growth tech companies as recently as 2021.

Start-ups - Consistently ranked as the best city outside of London to start a business, Edinburgh attracts ambitious entrepreneurs from around the world. The University of Edinburgh alone produced over 100 start-ups in 2021, more than any other Russell Group university has ever recorded.

As a young professional eager to get on the career ladder, the last thing you want is to be spinning your wheels, wasting time trying to network in a city that’s not conducive to growth. Edinburgh is teeming with people eager to connect and network with fellow professionals.

Navigating this large professional community can be daunting. Fortunately, young professionals no longer have to run around the city hoping to bump into the right people.

Causeway Young Professionals

Causeway connects hundreds of businesspeople from across Scotland and the island of Ireland. The Young Professionals membership is a dedicated hub for young professionals, providing a platform to discuss careers and network. This membership offers numerous benefits, including access to established professionals for advice, networking events across Edinburgh and Glasgow, and recognition through awards like the Rising Star Award, which celebrates young talent in business each year.

The Young Professionals membership helps jump-start careers for those who have not yet had the chance to establish their networks—handing them direct access to fellow driven young professionals looking to build their futures and a wealth of invaluable knowledge from experienced members.

Interested? Join Causeway Young Professionals today.