KEY POINTS FROM SURVEY

Nationally

Permanent placements decline for fifth time in six months
Temp billings expand only slightly
Vacancy growth holds close to multi-year low

FOR THE NORTH OF ENGLAND

Solid rise in permanent staff placements
Permanent candidate availability falls at softest rate in eight months
Starting salaries increase sharply

SLOWDOWN IN RECRUITMENT ACTIVITY PERSISTS IN JUNE AS MARKET CONFIDENCE REMAINS SUBDUED.

Commenting on the latest survey results, James Stewart, Vice Chair at KMPG, said:

“Brexit stagnation continues to seize up the jobs market as the slowdown in recruitment activity continues. Permanent staff appointments fell again in June, the fourth month in a row, while subdued confidence ensured that growth in temporary billings remained historically weak.

As we approach the summer holidays, the worry is that vacancy growth – which held close to a multi-year low in June – is unlikely to bounce back as firms take a relatively cautious approach to hiring. Uncertainty is also likely to further dampen staff availability, as candidates are reluctant to change roles at this time. On a sector bases, IT & Computing continued to need more workers while construction and retail saw reduced demand.

Looking ahead, conditions across the labour market are likely to remain restrained against a backdrop of political and economic uncertainty before companies can start to make more informed decisions on their long-term hiring”.

Neil Carberry, Recruitment & Employment Confederation chief executive, said:

“The jobs market has slowed a little but one issue which shows no sign of relenting is the shortage of qualified candidates in some areas.

Agencies employing temporary workers do all they can to train them to fill these vacancies, but this is made more difficult by the constraints of the apprenticeship levy. It is high time that this policy was reformed.”

DEMAND FOR STAFF BY SECTOR

Permanent Staff

Recruitment consultancies signalled a further reduction in the availability of workers to fill permanent jobs in June. Companies often linked the fall to heightened uncertainty towards the outlook, which has led people to become more reluctant to move roles. Others commented that a generally low unemployment rate and skill shortages had weighed on candidate supply. The rate of reduction remained historically sharp, despite easing slightly since May.

Permanent candidate numbers continued to fall across all four monitored English regions.

IT & Computing continued to lead the permanent staff demand rankings during June. A steep increase in vacancies was also seen for Engineering. The only two sectors to register reduced demand were Construction and Retail.

IT/Computing
Engineering
Hotel/Catering
Accounting/Financial
Secretarial/Clerical
Executive/Professional
Nursing/Medical/Care
Blue Collar
Construction
Retail

Temporary/Contract Staff

Latest survey data pointed to a sustained drop in short-term availability across the UK in June. The rate of deterioration was sharp, despite easing since May, and much quicker than the series long-run average. Anecdotal evidence indicated that a relatively high employment rate and fewer EU workers had weighed on temporary worker supply.

The steepest fall in short-term candidate numbers was seen in London, while the softest was recorded in the North of England.

Eight of the tem monitored sectors recorded higher demand for short-term staff in June, led by Hotel & Catering and Nursing/Medical/Care. In contrast vacancies fell markedly for Retail Workers.

Hotel & Catering
Nursing/Medical/Care
Blue Collar
Accounting/Financial
Secretarial/Clerical
IT/Computing
Engineering
Construction
Executive/Professional
Retail

SKILLS IN SHORT SUPPLY

Key Permanent Staff Skills 

Accountancy/Financial: Accountants, Auditors, Book Keepers, Credit Controllers, Estimators, Finance, Payroll, Pension Admin, Risk, Tax Accountants.

Blue Collar: Drivers, Fork Lift Drivers, HGV/LGV Drivers, Manufacturing Ops, Mechanics, Production Staff, Warehouse, Welders.

Construction: Construction Sales, Quantity Surveyors.

Engineering: CCTV Engineers, Design Engineers, Electronics Designers, Engineers, Industrial Engineers, Mechanical Engineers, Senior Electronic Engineers, Technicians.

Executive/ Professional: Compliance, Law, Management, Marketing, Portal Fee, PR, Productivity Analysis, Project Managers, Recruitment Consultants, Scientists.

Hotel/Catering: Baristas, Catering, Chefs, Hospitality, Kitchen Porters.

IT/Computing: Analysts, C#, CAD, Cyber, Data Professionals, Developers, Digital, Gaming, IT, Java, Oracle Specialists, PHP Developers, Revit, Software Engineers, Technical Sales, Technology.

Nursing/Medical /Care: Chemists, Health Care Assistants, Nurses.

Retail: E-commerce, Retail.

Secretarial/Clerical: Administration, Office Staff, PA’s, Receptionists.

Other: B2B Sales, Buyers, Call Centre, Commercial, Creative, Customer Service, Ecologists, Graduates, Real Estate, Sales, Security, Semi-skilled workers, Skilled workers, Telesales.

Key Temporary Staff Skills

Accountancy/Financial: Accountants, Auditors, Book Keepers, Credit Controllers, Finance, Payroll, Pension Admin.

Blue Collar: Blue Collar, Drivers, FLT Drivers, HGV Drivers, Industrial, Laborer’s, LVG Drivers, Production, Sewing Machinists, Warehouse Operatives, Welders.

Construction: Construction Workers.

Engineering: Engineers, Industrial Engineers, Senior Electronic Engineers.

Executive/ Professional: Human Resources, Law, Marketing, Portal Fee, PR, Productivity Analysts, Project Managers, Scientists.

Hotels/Catering: Baristas, Catering, Chefs, Hospitality, Kitchen Porters.

IT/Computing: CAD, Developers, Digital, Gaming, IT, Oracle Specialists, Python, Technology.
Nursing/Medical/Care: Carers, Doctors, Health Care Assistants, Nurses.

Secretarial/Clerical: Administration, Receptionist’s.

Other: B2B Telesales, Buyers, Call Centre, Creative, Customer Service, Facilities, Graduates, Sales, Skilled Workers, Teachers, Telesales, Unskilled Workers.

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