Compare UK careers and courses side-by-side to find your pathway
pathway.market is a free, independent comparison service for people upskilling or reskilling in the UK. Upload your CV and we match your existing skills to high-demand careers, then line up every training option — free, government-funded and paid — by price, duration, format and outcome.
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What is pathway.market?
pathway.market holds hundreds of UK courses — free and government-funded programmes, professional certifications, university modules, intensive bootcamps and self-paced online training — and compares them on the same terms: price in pounds, study hours, delivery format, entry level, assessment type and the qualification you end up holding. There is no account to create and nothing to pay. We are supported by affiliate commission from some providers, and that never changes the ranking or the ratings you see.
Most people trying to change career hit the same wall. Course marketing is written to sell, not to compare: two "data analyst" programmes can differ by £8,000 and 400 study hours while describing themselves in near-identical language. Employers, meanwhile, hire on specific skills rather than specific courses. The gap between "I want a different job" and "here is exactly what to study, in what order, and what it costs" is where most career changes quietly stall. Closing that gap is the whole point of this site.
Who it is for
We built pathway.market for people in work who want to move up or move across, for people out of work who need a route back in without taking on debt, and for anyone starting from scratch in a field they have never worked in. That includes career changers in their thirties and forties, parents returning after a break, tradespeople adding a new qualification, and graduates whose degree did not lead anywhere obvious. You do not need a technical background, and you do not need to know exactly what you want yet — if you can describe the direction you are heading, we can show you which roles fit and what stands between you and them.
How it works
- Upload your CV. We read it the way a recruiter would, pulling out the skills you already hold, the level you hold them at, and how exposed your current role is to automation.
- Pick a direction. Choose from high-demand UK roles or tell us where you want to land, and we map every skill gap between here and there.
- Compare courses side-by-side. Bootcamps, degrees, certifications and funded programmes, compared by price, duration, format and outcome — with the free route shown before the paid one where one exists.
- Get your training plan. Which skills to close first, which courses close them, in what order, and what the whole route costs.
Your CV is processed for the analysis only. It is never sold, never shared with providers, and never used to train AI models.
What we compare
Courses across AI and machine learning, data analytics and engineering, software and cloud, cyber security, design and product, general technology, and skilled trades. For every course we record the provider, price, study hours, delivery format, entry level, assessment type and resulting certification, so a £0 self-paced route and a £9,000 bootcamp can be judged against the same criteria.
Career data, not course marketing
Each career page carries UK salary ranges, day-to-day responsibilities, the skills employers list most often, a realistic time-to-hire, and a step-by-step roadmap from beginner to job-ready. Labour market signals come from ONS and Eurostat data, so demand figures reflect the actual market rather than a provider's prospectus.
Frequently asked questions
Is pathway.market really free?
Yes — our CV analysis, career matching, and personalised learning plans are completely free. We compare government-funded and paid courses so you can find the best option for your budget.
How does the AI CV analysis work?
Upload your CV and our AI agents extract your skills, experience, and qualifications. We then match you against in-demand careers and build a step-by-step training plan tailored to your goals.
What types of courses do you compare?
We list courses across AI & Machine Learning, Software & Cloud, Design & Product, Security, Technology, and Trades — including government-funded programmes, university degrees, bootcamps, and self-paced online courses.
Do I need an account to use pathway.market?
No account is needed. You can browse careers, compare courses, and run a CV analysis without signing up.
How is pathway.market different from a job board?
We're not a job board. We focus on the training side — helping you identify skill gaps, compare learning options, and build a concrete plan to become qualified for the career you want.
Is my CV data kept private?
Absolutely. Your CV is processed securely, anonymised during analysis, and never shared with third parties. Read our privacy policy for full details.