Construction recruitment continues to recover
Construction recruitment's slow recovery has continued throughout November according to a new report.
A study by the Recruitment and Employment Confederation and KPMG has indicated that job opportunities had increased on average across all industries. Overall, the Report on Jobs 2009 found that both temporary and permanent contract staff recruitment was growing. When the sectors were compared however, the sector with the healthiest growth in temporary positions was the construction industry.
The number of temporary engineering and building jobs have rapidly increased since 2007, when the economic recession hit the property and development market in the UK. Now construction jobs are the most in demand positions for temporary employment in the UK.
Kevin Green, the REC's Chief Executive, described the findings as "very positive news". "Employers in nearly all sectors are lifting recruitment freezes and starting to hire again" he said. "Flexibility in the UK’s labour market has proved effective in ensuring that unemployment has not reached the levels experienced by some of our international competitors. Whilst UK output has shrunk by 5.9 per cent, employment has declined by only two per cent"
However, Green was also adamant that steps needed to be taken to safeguard recruitment resources for the future.
“Despite the positive signs, the Government needs to do more – particularly to help the one million 18 to 24 year olds out of work in the UK. This week’s white paper on jobs must include specific measures aimed at encouraging employers to take on young people" said Green. He also announced that the REC will be encouraging the business community to provide opportunities for those studying for engineering jobs and other construction roles with the launch of its Youth Employment Task Force.