Wednesday 7 August 2013

Construction sector leads jobs market growth

What a difference a year makes! The latest Reed Job Index for July has revealed that the construction sector is leading the way in the continued growth in the UK jobs market. This is fantastic news for all involved in the construction and building products industry, with it showing an amazing 92% increase in vacancies since July 2012.

Overall the total jobs market also continues to grow with the July Job Index six points higher than year to date average of 155. Figures show a 17% year on year growth in job opportunities. The current figure of 161 is up from 138 at the start of the year.

For the second consecutive month Scotland had the greatest growth in new job opportunities year on year, up 35% on July 2012. This level of growth is closely followed by Yorkshire and Humber (29%) and the North West (22%).

Commenting on the latest figures, James Reed, chairman of reed.co.uk, said: 

“The jobs market is one of the first indicators of the health of the economy and it has shown continued growth during 2013. We are now seeing wider signs that the UK is on the road to recovery and these numbers underline that.  

“Given recent statistics, which show an annual rise in property prices for all regions of the UK for the first time in over five years, it isn’t too surprising that jobs growth in the construction and property sector has been so significant. It will be interesting to see how these figures move during the course of the year, as the influence of Government support through schemes such as Help to Buy becomes clearer.

“While there are signs of an economic recovery, we should be concerned that this growth has not yet translated into salary increases. Salaries have continued to decline – year on year they are down 1.5% – so household spending will be impacted. Once workers are more generally experiencing improvements in their standard of living, it will be a recovery worth celebrating.”


You can download the full report here.

Also commenting on these figures, Steve Rogan, Managing Director of Pinnacle Consulting, leading construction sales and marketing recruitment agency, said: 

"We are delighted for the whole industry to hear this fantastic news. It confirms the increased optimism that many of our clients have been indicating to us over the last few weeks, and it is just reward for the patience and expert management shown by many companies in the sector during the last few years. There are many companies coming out of the recession in a healthy state and ready to exploit the opportunities out there. 

" With more construction work taking place, it means more construction products being made due to increased demand for stock from merchants and distributors, as larger and more regular orders are being placed by builders and contractors. This increased activity creates the need for employment in all areas and job functions, and is great news for everyone involved in the industry."

Call Pinnacle Consulting on 01480 405225 to discuss our current UK wide sales, marketing and management opportunities in the construction products and building materials industry. You can look at our latest jobs here.


Image courtesy of "City" by Salvatore Vuono / FreeDigitalPhotos.net

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