The MCA’s 2025 Annual Report offers a snapshot of trends shaping our profession, insights into the sector’s performance and its contribution to the wider economy. For young consultants, it’s an opportunity to consider how these changes are influencing early career paths and how we can actively shape our response.
The headline finding from the report is that industry growth is forecasted in 2025 and 2026 to be 3.6% and 7.8% respectively. This reflects the sector’s resilience in the face of economic headwinds. For young consultants, that resilience matters: it shows that consulting continues to play a vital role in the economy, even in tougher conditions, and opportunities will expand as the market recovers.
One of the clearest areas of opportunity is in digital and technology consulting, which continues to be the largest service line across the industry. Rapid growth in AI, cloud adoption and cybersecurity is reshaping the nature of client work and as firms respond to this shift, young consultants are well placed to contribute, especially where fresh thinking and digital fluency are needed.
However, the growing complexity of client requirements has changed how people enter the industry. We’ve seen a jump in experienced hires, increasing by up to 25%. While this shift can be partly attributed to rebalancing of hiring practices post pandemic, this shift is fundamentally changing the shape of consulting careers, influencing how people enter and grow within the profession, as well as how firms approach training and development.
As this landscape continues to shift, young consultants have an important role not just by adapting to new challenges, but by helping shape the future of the profession. The Young MCA acts as a platform to be that voice, supporting development through engaging events, promoting inclusion, and encouraging a socially responsible approach to consulting and we’ll continue to create opportunities for connection, learning and impact as the industry evolves.
Ted Eastaugh, AtkinsRéalis, Consultant, Chair Young MCA