The report showed a solid growth of job vacancies in April. Since March, permanent staff vacancies have increased but temporary vacancies only increased at the weakest pace in nine months.

Research data also showed an easing rate of permanent staff salaries, with the latest rise the slowest since last November. Temporary pay growth also eased on the month.

It was found that Permanent staff availability was broadly unchanged in April, ending a four-month period of decline. Where as temporary availability rose, but only modestly and at the slowest rate in 2013 so far.

The Jobs report showed that the Midlands saw the strongest rate of permanent placements growth, followed by the South. London registered a modest rise, whilst the North stagnated. During April, temporary/contract staff billings rose in the Midlands and the North. In contrast, London and the South posted declines.

Public sector demand for staff declined, with reduced vacancies for both permanent and temporary/contract workers. In contrast, private sector employees saw growth of demand, with the faster expansion reported for permanent staff.

The strongest growth of demand for permanent staff was within the Engineering sector during April. The IT & Computer sector also registered a marked rise in demand for their services. In contrast, there was a slight fall in demand for Hotel & Catering staff.

The latest survey showed an improved demand within seven of the nine monitored temporary/contract staff sectors. The fastest increase was signalled for Nursing/Medical/Care workers, followed by Engineering personnel. In particular, the Construction and Hotel & Catering sectors posted declines in demand.

REC Chief Executive Kevin Green comments;

“Demand in the economy is returning, slowly but surely. Businesses are feeling more confident, hence steady levels of people being placed into permanent jobs and rising in starting salaries across the north of England.

“Recruiters are reporting a renewed sense of purpose from their clients, with employers making hiring decisions more quickly than before. Highly skilled jobs like engineering and IT are still big growth areas, and the reports of shortages of people to fill sales vacancies show that companies are gearing up for increases in business investment and consumer spending.

“All the feedback from recruiters is that employers intend to continue to increase their use of flexible staffing in the months ahead.”

Bernard Brown, Partner and Head of Business Services at KPMG, comments;

“The latest figures, however, hint at a positive turn with permanent placements accelerating, the rate of demand for permanent staff remaining solid and average starting salaries continuing to rise.

“The data suggests that optimism is lower when temporary roles are considered and there are also still too many inconsistencies across the UK to hint at recovery.  The reality is that there are likely to be storm clouds ahead before the employment rainbow will really be allowed to shine.”

Although according to the CBI’s latest SME Trends survey, small and medium-sized manufacturers are expecting slight growth in the next quarter. This is supported by strong predicted growth in export orders, while domestic orders will stabilise.

Despite weak manufacturing activity for three quarters of decline, there seems to be optimism about export prospects within the sector over the next three months. This positive business outlook has rose for the first time in a year.

Overall, employment in the sector increased in the three months to April and manufacturers expect an increase in headcount in the coming quarter. Whilst investment plans for the year ahead did not change.

Matt Dann, Division Manager at Thorn Baker comments;

“We have seen a steady rise in the number of temporary workers on assignment with Manufacturing based clients in the last month or so. Particularly we have had clients who have not needed additional labour in recent months begin to utilise our services again as their business levels pick up.

The general optimism shown in our sector appears to be coming to fruition and I expect the next quarter to see continued growth in this area”.

Research has also shown that the UK car industry was boosted by latest sales figures. The Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT), new car registrations totalled to 163,357 units compared to 144,322 in April 2012, increasing by 14.8%, which is the strongest period of growth in 14 months.

As the UK automotive sector continues to particularly perform strong in recent years, its new car market continues to outperform EU27’s market performance.

Private registrations have also increased by nearly a third at 81,753 compared to last April at 61,816. The UK is now the second lasrgest market for new car sales in Europe behind Germany, with sales 39% ahead of France and 70% ahead of Italy.

Thorn Baker Director John Robinson comments;

“The continued strength of the automotive sector is extremely positive news for UK manufacturing and buoyed by projected increases in export demand in other sectors, we expect competition for key skills to increase substantially.

“We now spend considerable time with our clients discussing Candidate Attraction strategies as these are no longer the preserve of the major corporate employers. No matter how big or small, firms now have to look at themselves and make sure they are an attractive proposition to an increasingly fussy pool of talented engineers.

If you are currently recruiting for Industrial or Technical & Engineering temporary or permanent staff and would like advice on future recruiting, please contact our teams at your local office. Or visit our website and upload your vacancy.

Tim Moore, Senior Economist at Markit said;

“The sector appeared to have benefited from a catch-up in work after a disruption caused by cold weather earlier in the year. The overall survey findings are an early indication that construction will act as less of a drag on UK GDP over the second quarter of 2013.”

The Markit survey showed that residential construction grew in April but commercial and civil engineering activity decreased. The Government has taken several measures to help the housing sector and plans to guarantee up to 130 billion pounds in higher-risk mortgages starting in January 2014.

The research findings of a slow recovery in construction reflected a similar analysis of the British manufacturing sector. The overall demand in the construction sector has remained weak, with new business volumes falling for the 11th consecutive month. Although the fall was small, it has been a constant decline of new business since the recession in 2008-09.

Matt Page, Construction Division Manager at Thorn Baker, comments;

”The latest PMI scores reflect our latest industry opinion. We’ve seen recent growth following a tough start to 2013 for our clients. Past experience suggests that an early summer ‘bounce’ is likely to increase demand following the period of poor weather. Many of our clients are also likely to use flexible labour for short periods to help resolve their staffing challenges.’

If you are currently recruiting for Construction temporary or permanent staff, or would like advice on future recruiting, please contact Matt Page at matthew@thornbaker.co.uk or a member of the Construction team at your local office. Or visit our website and upload your vacancy.

There are more than half a million job vacancies in the UK than over four years ago. Over the past year, the number of people in work has increased by over 430,000.  Almost nine out of ten of these jobs have gone to UK nationals.

The latest statistics also show that there are over 850,000 more people in work than there were in early 2010.

The number of people claiming Jobseeker’s Allowance (JA) fell by over 7,000 in April, and is down almost 70,000 compared to this time last year. Last month saw the smallest number of new JSA claims for over four years. The number of young people claiming JSA fell by 6,000 this month to its lowest level since May 2011 and youth unemployment fell by 17,000 over the past quarter.

The 503,000 job vacancies recorded was the highest figure seen since the period October to December 2008, when the jobs market is in regular demand for seasonal staff in the run-up to Christmas.

Of the 18 industries classified by the ONS, a strong rise was seen in three sectors: arts, entertainment & recreation (up 32.4% over the past year), financial & insurances activities (up 22%) and real estate activities (20.4%).

Among those out of work, nearly one in five have been looking for over two years, although 47% have been looking for less than six months.

Minister for Employment Mark Hoban said;

“There are record numbers of women in work, fewer young people unemployed and more vacancies available for those looking for work. We are also seeing continuing falls in the number of people claiming Jobseeker’s Allowance which is positive. Whilst there has been a disappointing increase in the headline rate of unemployment, we shouldn’t forget the progress we are making.

The Recruitment and Employment Confederation’s Head of Policy Kate Shoesmith comments on the figures;

“Despite the numbers today, recruiters are telling us that they are seeing employer confidence returning, illustrated for instance by the hiring process starting to speed up and decisions about taking people on being made more quickly. We remain optimistic that there will be growth in the jobs market in 2013.

“Mark Hoban is right to acknowledge the growing number of vacancies out there. The emerging challenge that we have is that those people who are out of work, especially the long-term unemployed, don’t have the skills and experience necessary to take advantage of the jobs that are available.”

CBI Director for Employment & Skills Neil Carberry said;

“With these figures showing the highest number of vacancies since 2008, this reflects businesses’ more positive view of the year ahead.”

JobsOutlook reports the responses of 600 employers questioned about their hiring intentions over the next quarter and the next year. Respondents are drawn from across the public, private and non-profit sector, and from across a range of industries and sizes of organisation.

According to April’s JobsOutlook survey results, nearly two thirds (60%) of employers plan to increase their permanent workforce over the next three months and over a third (36%) said that they will maintain current levels of staffing. Only 4% of employers plan to reduce their number of employees.

Around 39% of employers plan increase the use of agency workers in the next three months and a further 50% intend to maintain current temp numbers and only 11% plan a reduction. Another 36% plan to increase the use of agency workers in the next 4-12 months, and an additional 55% will maintain current levels and just 9% plan a reduction.

The REC Chief Executive Kevin Green said;

“Speculation about a possible triple dip recession has not dissuaded employers from their plans to hire. Our latest data shows that most businesses intend to take on more permanent staff and continue to use temporary workers. Only a very small number said that they expect to reduce headcounts over the next few months.”

The ONS data showed that the number of people in employment also fell by 2,000 in the latest quarter to February, to just under 30 million, whilst earnings growth slowed since autumn 2011. Earnings growth has slowed down, with average regular pay, excluding bonuses, only rising by 1%, the lowest figure for more than a decade.

This is further supported with the news of the pound falling more than a cent against the dollar, which highlights a weaker labour market with low economic prospects.

On the positive side, the number of people claiming Jobseeker’s Allowance fell in March by 7,000 to 1.53 million.

Employment Minister Mark Hoban stated that there were “still tough challenges ahead”, but highlighted the importance of the fall in the number of people claiming Jobseeker’s Allowance (JA) particularly among young people.

The Minister said;

“We will continue to give jobseekers all the help and support they need to realise their aspirations.”

The number of JA claimants fell in every region of England, Wales and Scotland, while the number of new claims was at its lowest level for more than four years. The number of young people claiming JA is down by 2,800 on the month, and is 65,400 lower than last year.

However, the ONS has also revealed that 900,000 people have been out of work for more than a year, an 8,000 increase on the three months to November, while the number of unemployed 16 to 24-year-olds rose by 20,000 to 979,000.

Despite the increase in unemployment, the total is 71,000 lower than a year ago. There has been a 62,000 fall in the number of people in part-time and temporary work, to just over eight million and people on Government-supported training scheme. There has been a 60,000 increase in full-time employment, to 21.6 million.

The Prince’s Trust Chief Executive Martina Milburn highlighted the impact of youth unemployment, she comments;

“Thousands of these young people are long-term unemployed, often facing further challenges such as poverty and homelessness. We must act now to support these young people into work and give them the chance of a better future.”

Peter Searle, Chief Executive of Adecco Group adds;

“Today’s labour market statistic show there is still a massive number of unemployed 16 to 24 year olds (958,000) – the employment market is still tough for young job seekers. Today’s school leavers and graduates, with less experience and fewer skills or qualifications, are facing a battle for jobs. Young people need to ensure they cast their search wide to increase their chances of getting through application stage and interview.

“To do this, organisations too must deliver greater work experience opportunities which will allow these job seekers to compete on a more level playing field and ensure there is a pipeline of talent for the future.”

Our FM team currently supply service sectors including Hard & Soft Services, Estate & Property Management, Building Services Projects & Maintenance Engineers, as well as Surveyors, Managers and Business Development.

The Facilities Show has established itself as the leading meeting place for the industry. The 2012 show has been the largest event recording a 26.8% increase in visitor numbers, with a total of 13,501 visitors attending across the three days.

The 2013 event show will be the 14^th year with market leading exhibitors, comprehensive seminar programmes and innovative show features.

This world’s leading dedicated facilities management event show provides an excellent showcase for suppliers from all sectors together with product and supplier information. Suppliers and specialists will share knowledge, debate issues and find best-fit solutions and products for their organisation’s needs.

Joanne Crampton, FM Branch Manager at Thorn Baker comments;

“We will be exhibiting at the Facilities Show for the first time this year. We are proud to be exhibiting at the largest event in the industry to date, which the team are hugely looking forward to.

“We are looking forward to meeting new potential candidates and clients to discuss future opportunities. Come and visit us at stand 2G41.”

If you are visiting the Facilities Management Show this year, our FM team would like to know why? Please click here to participate in our poll.

If you are currently recruiting for Facilities Management temporary or permanent staff, or would like advice on future recruiting, please contact Joanne Crampton at joanne@thornbaker.co.uk or a member of the Facilities Management team at your local office. Or visit our website and upload your vacancy.

According to the CBI’s latest monthly industrial trends survey, there are stronger volume expectations since April last year. We expect to see a rise in certain areas such as Mechanical Engineering sectors, food, drink and tobacco. The survey results also showed that export orders are at their highest levels for three months in comparison to total orders.

On the other hand the CBI survey also suggested that manufacturers which took part in the survey appeared to be more optimistic than official figures.

Meanwhile, the government has recently opened a £120m Advanced Manufacturing Supply Chain fund for new manufacturing businesses that have opened. The government funding is being made available through the Advanced Manufacturing Supply Chain initiative to support research and development, skills training and capital investment in the industry.

Over £73m has been awarded from round 2 of the Advanced Manufacturing Supply Chain initiative to twelve national supply chain projects. Examples of winning bids include the creation of a ‘National Aerospace Technology Exploitation Programme’ by the Aerospace Growth Partnership to address skills shortages and improve R&D collaboration in the aerospace sector. In effect, the £35m project will create nearly 5,000 jobs in the supply chain.

The government has also yet to unveil an oil and gas strategy which will secure billions of pounds of future investment and thousands of jobs. Trade Body Oil & Gas UK said that firms are planning investments with a total of around £100bn within the UK, which is expected to rise from £11.4bm in 2013, from £11.4bn in 2012.

As part of the strategy, UK Trade and Investment will offer specialist support to see how the supply chain can increase exports to countries, such as Brazil, Mexico, Saudi Arabia and Australia. The industry is expected to require a further 15,000 staff over the next four to five years.

Research by Manpower Group has shown that the transport sector’s net employment outlook has rapidly increased at 17%. This is an increase of 19% points from the last quarter, which is the most positive outlook seen in the transport sector since before the recession.

Matt Dann, Division Manager at Thorn Baker comments;

“The latest monthly industrial trends report is clearly supported by our client’s activity levels and optimism for the rest of 2013. Whilst demand has not yet increased significantly, our manufacturing related clients (across a variety of sectors) appear to be consistently busier than they have been for some time, and are talking with renewed hope of increased output when summer approaches.

“This is good news for Thorn Baker, as we have many suitable candidates which we can place in these type of roles at short notice, whether for temporary assignments or for permanent roles.”

If you are currently recruiting for Industrial or Technical & Engineering temporary or permanent staff and would like advice on future recruiting, please contact our teams at your local office. Or visit our website and upload your vacancy.

Two years on since the review in 2011, Lord Davies and his review panel report a growing number of women in decision-making roles. There seems to be a continuous growth of greater female representation in the boardroom of the UK’s top companies; with a growing recognition of the benefits gained by business, the economy and wider society.

Today 94 of the FTSE 100 companies count women on their boards as do over two thirds of all FTSE 350 companies. Women now account for 17.3% of all directorships, up from 10.5% in 2010. Cranfield School of Management revealed that in the first half of the 2012 financial year, 44% of board-level appointments at FTSE 100 firms went to women.

Lord Davies commented;

“They are making real efforts to find and appoint capable women to their boards. We are now moving to a place where it is unacceptable for the voice of women to be absent from the boardroom.”

“Companies see that having more women at their top table makes good business sense, especially if we are operating in a global market. We’ve come a long way over the last two years but we must not get complacent and take the foot off the gas.”

Business Secretary Vince Cable commented;

“The argument for more women in our boardrooms is clear – they bring fresh perspectives and ideas, talent and broader experience which leads to better decision-making. This is not just about equality at the top of our companies. It is about good business sense.”

Minister for Women and Equalities Maria Miller said;

“We are making good progress; two thirds of women are in work, the gender pay gap is closing and both Lord Davies’ and Cranfield’s reports indicate that we are heading in the right direction when it comes to women’s representation at senior levels.

“Our equalities agenda isn’t solely about women in the boardroom. It’s also about unlocking the untapped potential of women at all levels in the workforce, getting more women into work, priming the talent pipeline and bringing sustained benefit to the British economy in the longer term.”

However, Cranfield School of Management’s Female FTSE Report has showed that progress with the Women on Boards agenda in the FTSE 100 has stalled over the last six months. There has been less progress in female executive appointments at the top and women are dominating in the middle levels of certain careers, such as law and marketing, which is not boardroom representation.

British businesses are failing to tackle the barriers that deter women from senior levels, such as balancing family and work and has a negative impact on our economy and society. Women in business must recognise their own potential and have the confidence to aim high.

The female boardroom recruitment findings have been encouraging, but more is needed to bridge the gender gap successfully and sustainably. Business leaders should do more to help instil women in business with the confidence and aspiration to aim for the boardroom and inspire the next generation before they leave school.