The final quarter of 2025 was a defining period for Citrus Connect. Alongside helping clients and candidates prepare for the year ahead, we published new research into the UK labour market, invested in the next stage of our growth and celebrated our strongest year on record.
Our research uncovered what we called the “Confidence Gap”, revealing that 13 million UK workers have transferable skills that could help them change careers but lack the confidence to make the move. The findings raised important questions about how employers recognise transferable skills and how candidates understand the value of their own experience.
The research gained attention across national, regional and recruitment industry publications, with journalists exploring everything from career confidence and transferable skills to Scotland’s talent pool.
At the same time, Citrus Connect was making headlines for another reason. Following a strategic £100,000 investment in technology, we closed 2025 with our strongest results to date, marking an important milestone in the continued growth of the business.
Here’s a look at the research, insights and milestones that put Citrus Connect in the headlines during Q4 2025.
The “Confidence Gap”: What Our Research Revealed
Our research identified a disconnect between the skills UK workers already have and their confidence in using those skills to pursue new opportunities. 13 million UK workers have transferable skills that could support a career change but lack the confidence to take that next step.
For candidates, this highlights the importance of recognising that skills developed in one role or industry can often translate into another. Communication, relationship building, problem-solving and commercial awareness can all have value beyond the role in which they were developed.
For employers, the findings point to an opportunity to look beyond job titles and traditional career paths when recruiting. Taking a more skills-led approach can help businesses recognise candidates with relevant capabilities who may otherwise be overlooked.
The findings attracted coverage across the UK recruitment and business press:
- London Daily News: 13 Million UK Workers Have Skills to Change Careers But Lack Confidence
- The Global Recruiter: Workers Lack Confidence to Use Transferable Skills
- Punchline Gloucester: Millions of Workers Lack Confidence to Change Careers
- Family Friendly Working: Over 13 Million UK Workers Lack the Confidence to Change Careers
- myGwork: Over 7 Million UK Workers Plan Career Changes in 2026
Scotland’s Transferable Skills Talent Pool
The research also highlighted significant regional differences across the UK, with Scotland emerging as a leading hub for transferable skills. The findings suggest there is a strong pool of workers whose existing experience and capabilities could translate into new roles and industries.
For employers, this reinforces the value of looking beyond conventional experience when assessing candidates. Skills gained in different sectors can bring valuable perspectives and capabilities, particularly when businesses are struggling to find talent through traditional recruitment routes.
The findings gained attention in the Scottish press:
- The National – Scotland Named Skilled Labour Pool of Britain
- Scottish Business News – Scotland Recognised as the UK’s Leading Hub for Transferable Skills
Citrus Connect’s Record Growth
Q4 also brought recognition for Citrus Connect’s own growth. Following a strategic £100,000 investment in technology, we closed 2025 with our strongest results to date, marking an important milestone for the business.
The investment supported improvements across our recruitment systems, automation, reporting and data visibility, helping our team work more efficiently while maintaining the personal, consultative approach behind our client and candidate relationships.
But technology was only part of the story. As we reflected on in our article about growing a recruitment business, sustainable growth has also meant investing in our people, strengthening our processes and protecting the culture behind Citrus Connect as the business evolves.
Our growth story was covered across the regional and business press:
- Yorkshire Evening Post – Leeds Firm Citrus Connect Achieves Record Growth Following Strategic Tech Investment
- Prolific North – Leeds Consultancy Posts Record Results Following £100k Digital Investment
- Telegraph & Argus – Citrus Connect Celebrates Strongest Year to Date
Looking Ahead
Q4 2025 brought together two important parts of the Citrus Connect story: contributing new insight to conversations around the UK workforce while continuing to grow and invest in our own business.
As we move through 2026, we’ll continue to share what we’re seeing across the recruitment market, use our own data to explore the challenges facing candidates and employers and build on the foundations that made 2025 our strongest year yet.
If you’re looking for your next opportunity or building a team of your own, explore how Citrus Connect can support you.
