Data from APSCo has shown professional recruitment firms reporting that vacancy numbers flatlined in September. The number of permanent vacancies remained unchanged year-on-year. This is in line with the latest data from the Office for National Statistics (ONS), which reported in October that the overall employment rate stabilised at 74.5 per cent in the three months to August 2016 – representing no change in percentage points when compared to the three months to July 2016.
The latest data from APSCo reveals notable variations between the trade association’s core sector groups in terms of hiring activity. While permanent vacancies across both financial services and marketing, for example, have increased (4 per cent and 15 per cent respectively), IT and engineering have both recorded dips of 7 per cent.
Despite warnings from the British Bankers’ Association (BBA) that financial services institutions are poised to relocate to Europe over Brexit, opportunities within the sector remained strong in September. Permanent vacancies across financial services increased by 4 per cent in the year to September while opportunities for contractors increased by 8 per cent over the same period. While finance remains the most buoyant sector for interim roles, the latest figures suggest that demand is beginning to stabilise following a spike post-referendum.
