Brighter jobs hope for South West area

Monday, December 06, 2010, 07:00 - Source - southwestbusiness.co.uk

EMPLOYERS in the South West have reported the strongest hiring intentions in the country for the second consecutive quarter.

The Manpower Employment Outlook Survey, is based on responses from 2,100 UK employers and shows that South West employers intend to increase staffing levels during the first three months of 2011 with a Seasonally Adjusted Net Employment Outlook of +13 per cent reported.

The South West's outlook is stronger by one percentage point quarter-over-quarter, and by eight percentage points year-over-year.

In addition, it is stronger than the national average of +2 per cent following its first improvement in 12 months after a stagnant year at +1 per cent in 2010.

Andrew Shellard, operations manager at Manpower, which provides workforce and outsourcing solutions, said: "Having remained consistently resilient despite the challenging economic conditions further expected jobs growth over the next three months is great news for the region."

He said Bristol is still a hub for job creation, but there is demand for temporary and permanent staff across the South West within finance, warehouse and logistics and in customer service roles.

But the disparity in employer hiring intentions between the 12 UK regions is more severe than at any point during the recession, Manpower said.

Regions traditionally home to labour intensive workforces are showing negative hiring intentions with Northern Ireland, West Midlands, the North East and Scotland reporting hiring prospects of -7 per cent, -5 per cent, -6 per cent and -12 per cent respectively.

Meanwhile, the western regions, including the South West, are enjoying positive hiring intentions, with the North West at +6 per cent and Wales at +9 per cent.

In London, employers also expect to increase staffing levels over the next three months with an Outlook of +3 per cent reported.

Mr Shellard said: "There is still some way to go, but those seeking work must focus on retraining, upskilling and gaining on-the-job experience - which are beneficial to securing permanent employment."