KEY POINTS FROM SURVEY

Permanent placements growth reaches eight-month high as temp billings also rise at faster pace

Demand for both permanent and temporary candidates at its highest since May.

Agencies report steeper decline in staff availability.

Commenting on the latest survey results, REC Chief Executive Kevin Green says:

“Despite ongoing uncertainty the UK jobs market is thriving again in most areas of the UK. Job vacancies are back to levels not seen since April and for the third consecutive month recruiters have reported an increase in the amount of people finding permanent jobs

“This is a great place to be but there are real threats coming over the hill. Candidate availability has been falling for three and a half years. There are more vacancies than there are people to fill them in many sectors, including engineering, construction and healthcare.

“The government urgently needs to outline a strategy to address employability skills within UK education and promote apprenticeships and other routes into work. We also need immigration policies that reflect immediate labour market needs. Imposing new restrictions on people coming from abroad to fill vacancies will impact businesses’ ability to meet demand as well as the delivery of public services.

We need Britain to remain open for business. We can’t afford to see businesses relocate overseas, taking jobs with them and leaving us poorer as a nation.”

DEMAND FOR STAFF BY SECTOR

Permanent Staff

The volume of permanent placements made by recruitment agencies increased for the third month in a row in October. Notably, the rate of growth quickened to a sharp pace that was the fastest seen in eight months. Around 40% of survey respondents reported an increase in placements, compared to 29% that saw a fall. Agencies reported that improved demand and new clients had boosted the number of people placed in permanent roles in the latest survey period.

The North saw the quickest increase in permanent placements at the start of the fourth quarter, followed by the Midlands. However, London and Scotland registered marginal declines.

Demand rose for all permanent staff categories during October, albeit to varying degrees. Engineering maintained its top spot in the table, followed by IT & Computing. Meanwhile demand was weakest for permanent roles in Hotel & Catering.

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

Temporary/Contract Staff

Billings received by Agencies from the employment of temporary/contract staff increased in October, thereby extending the current trend to three and a half years. Moreover, the rate of expansion strengthened to a five-month record.

As was the case with permanent placements, the North saw the strongest increase in short term staff billings in October. The only region monitored by the survey to see a fall in temporary billings was Scotland.

Blue Collar topped the table for temporary/contract staff in demand for October. All other categories also saw an upturn in demand over the month, though Executive/Professional saw the slowest rate of growth.

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

SKILLS IN SHORT SUPPLY

Key Permanent Staff Skills

Accountancy/Financial: Accountants, Audit, Compliance, Credit Control, Risk.

Blue Collar: HGV Drivers, Tool Makers.

Construction: Engineers, Quantity Surveyors.

Engineering: Automotive Engineers, Design Engineers.

Executive/ Professional: None recorded.

Hotel/Catering: None recorded.

IT/Computing: C#, Games, Java, Security, SQL.

Nursing/Medical/Care: Care workers.

Secretarial/Clerical: None recorded.

Other: Commercial Analysts, Marketing, Pharmaceuticals, Project Managers, Sales, Scientists.

Key Temp Skills

Accountancy/Financial: Audit, Compliance, Risk.

Blue Collar: Bricklayers, Labourers, LGV Drivers, Painters, Warehouse, Welders.

Construction: None recorded.

Engineering: Design Engineers.

Executive/Professional: None recorded.

Hotels/Catering: None recorded.

IT/Computing: Developers, Digital.

Nursing/Medical/Care: Care Workers, Nurses.

Secretarial/Clerical: Admin, Reception.

Other: Call Centre, Customer Service,

Pharmaceuticals, Scientists, Telesales.

Graph from Office of National Statistics Website

Kingston Recruitment Ltd participate in the national monthly survey produced by IHS Markit and sponsored by the Recruitment Employment Confederation (REC).

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