The West Midlands jobs market is leading the UK’s charge towards economic recovery – with permanent roles outpacing temporary positions.
And Birmingham stands ahead of the pack, with a significant uplift in job vacancies and a stream of candidates in the running, according to recruitment specialists Manpower.
A new Manpower survey shows a seven per cent rise in plans to take on staff, with the market showing signs of increases in vacancies and a strong pool of talent.
Krissie Davies, Operations Director at Manpower UK, said: “This has been another strong quarter for the West Midlands, outperforming the national average and delivering jobs particularly in the finance, media, manufacturing and insurance sectors.
“Birmingham has been particularly strong this time around, with a visible increase in the number of roles becoming available and a steady stream of candidates applying for them.
“What is very encouraging for the region this quarter is that we have noticed a definite uplift in the number of permanent positions that companies are looking to fill. There has been a marked increase in the permanent versus temporary requirements since last quarter and this can only be good news for job seekers as companies seem to be demonstrating a renewed confidence in the economy.
“The candidates who are coming to us are very open-minded about the jobs they are looking for – and this is a good thing. Businesses in the region are telling us that the thing they value most at the moment is candidates with transferable skills and who can demonstrate that they have the right attitude for work. What this equates to is a jobs market that matches, and is relevant to, those seeking work.
“However, this also creates a highly competitive environment that provides employers with the ability to fill positions with the very best candidates.”
The survey adds: “Overall, the UK jobs market has reached a turning point, with the employers we have interviewed in every single sector reporting positive hiring plans, even in construction, which was one of the sectors hardest hit by the recession but has really bounced back.” The Manpower Employment Outlook Survey is based on responses from 2,112 UK employers.
