- Employment Outlook of +9% for the East of England
- Swing towards more permanent role creation in the region
- Skilled manufacturing candidates in demand
The region has enjoyed a steady and buoyant jobs market over the past three years, and this quarter’s MEOS findings indicate that a rise in permanent positions is underpinning the sustainable jobs market.
The Manpower Employment Outlook Survey is based on responses from 2,100 UK employers. It asks whether employers intend to hire additional workers or reduce the size of their workforce in the coming quarter. It is the most comprehensive, forward-looking employment survey of its kind and is used as a key economic statistic by both the Bank of England and the UK government.
“Whilst we have seen a solid Employment Outlook for the East of England over the last three years, this quarter we have noticed a significant uptick in the number of candidates entering the jobs market,” says Krissie Davies, Operations Director at Manpower UK. “Whilst this is encouraging and supports the marketplace, we are still lacking some of the in-demand skills, which are not always easy to come by.
“This is certainly the case in the manufacturing sector. In Bedford we have been talking to capping and sealing manufacturer Fords Packaging Systems, builders and designers of highly sophisticated packaging machinery. The company requires highly skilled staff to help manufacture this precision equipment but have been finding it particularly challenging to recruit the engineers needed as they look to expand and grow their business.
“There are a number of other trends that stand out in the East’s jobs market. Most notable is the growth in the number of permanent opportunities across a number of industries in the region. In Chelmsford, for example, employers’ confidence is on the rise this quarter and this is leading to an increase in the number of permanent positions available in local businesses – especially in technical roles, such as Health & Safety and Compliance where demand is particularly high.”
Going into the second quarter of 2015, the national Seasonally Adjusted Net Employment Outlook remains at +6% for the third successive quarter, indicating that the UK jobs market continues to plot a steadily optimistic course. Interestingly, there has been a surprise jump in public sector hiring intentions in the run-up to the general election as the jobs Outlook has climbed 10 points on last quarter to +12%, its most optimistic level for four years. Even though, with austerity cuts across government departments, people might think that public sector hiring would be in the doldrums, what we are actually seeing is the reverse. In contrast, private companies, although hardly stalling with an Outlook of +7%, may be sitting on their hands and taking a ‘wait and see’ approach to the outcome in May.
With the exception of Scotland, all of the UK regions are optimistic going into the second quarter. The East and West Midlands record the strongest hiring intentions this quarter, at +11% and +12% respectively together with the North West at +11%. These regions are big hubs for the Utilities sector, in which the Outlook for jobs has risen to +18%, its highest level for eight years.
*******
For further information, please contact:
Brunswick – Helen Smith 020 7404 5959
Email: [email protected]
Twitter: #MEOSUK
NOTES
A ‘Net Employment Outlook’ is calculated by subtracting those employers who plan to reduce staffing levels from those who plan to hire staff. A positive result indicates that more employers plan to increase rather than decrease staffing levels; a negative result reflects the opposite. [% increase - % decrease]
Commentary and full details on every sector and region can be found in the survey report at manpower.co.uk/meos, or by calling the Press Office on 0207 404 5959/ [email protected]
For international comparisons and visual library with graphs, visit manpowergroup.com
Commentary is based on seasonally adjusted data where available. Full survey results for each of the 42 countries and territories included in this quarter’s survey, plus regional and global comparisons, can be found in the ManpowerGroup Press Room at www.manpowergroup.com/meos. In addition, all tables and graphs from the full report are available to be downloaded for use in publication or broadcast from the ManpowerGroup Web site at: http://www.manpowergroup.com/press/meos.cfm
Note that in Quarter 2 2008, the Survey adopted the TRAMO-SEATS model for seasonal adjustment of data. As a result, you may notice some seasonally adjusted data points change slightly from previous reports. This model is recommended by the Eurostat department of the European Union and the European Central Bank, and is widely used internationally.
About the Survey
The world leader in innovative workforce solutions, ManpowerGroup releases the Manpower Employment Outlook Survey quarterly to measure employers’ intentions to increase or decrease the number of employees in their workforce during the next quarter. It is the longest running, most extensive, forward-looking employment survey in the world, polling nearly 66,000 employers in 42 countries and territories. The survey serves as a bellwether of labour market trends and activities and is regularly used to inform the Bank of England’s Inflation Reports, as well as a regular data source for the European Commission, informing its EU Employment Situation and Social Outlook report the Monthly Monitor. ManpowerGroup’s independent survey data is also sourced by financial analysts and economists around the world to help determine where labour markets are headed.