Labour Market Tracker: Demand for workers steady with almost 1.7 million job adverts across the UK - REC
Press releases
- There were 189,832 new job postings in the week of 17-23 April 2023 – 31.8% higher compared to the week before, as firms returned to hiring after the Easter break.
- The number of active postings in the week of 17-23 April was 1,696,319. This is a 4% increase compared to the previous week (10-16 April) but shows a 19.5% increase compared to the year before (18-24 April 2022). The figure had remained above 1.4 million since January 2022.
- Notable increases in adverts for jobs as collector salespersons and credit card agent (they visit private households to obtain orders and collect payments for goods and services) (+18.4%), dental practitioners (+13.2%), and glaziers, window fabricators and fitters (+12.6%).
- No decline in job adverts in any county/unitary authority during 17-23 April 2023.
- Six out of the UK’s top ten hiring hotspots were in Northern Ireland.
- In the attached special data report, we show how demand for education roles since February 2020 has doubled in some parts of the UK.
The number of new job adverts shot up in the week to 23rd April as businesses returned to hiring after the Easter break. There were 189,832 new job postings in the week of 17-23 April 2023 – 31.8% higher compared to the week before (10-16 April), according to the Recruitment & Employment Confederation (REC) and Lightcast’s latest Labour Market Tracker.
The number of active postings in the week of 17-23 April was 1,696,319 – a 4% increase compared to 1,630,552 in the previous week (10-16 April 2023) and 19.5% increase compared to 1,419,641 in the previous year (18-24 April 2022). The figure had remained stable and above 1.4 million since January 2022.
Neil Carberry, Chief Executive of the REC, said:
“Smoothing out week-to-week volatility driven by bank and school holidays, we can see that there is a relatively stable pattern of demand in the labour market, with 180,000 to 200,000 new vacancies every week and more than 1.4 million active job adverts.
“What we are beginning to see, however, is greater variation in demand. Our members report that vacancies have weakened somewhat in the big sectors which have been strong since onset of the pandemic – logistics, driving and food – while the market remains healthier elsewhere. Likewise, the growth in adverts for collector salespersons and credit card agents shows the effects of the cost-of-living squeeze, as consumers switch behaviour towards lower-cost shopping and spread out payments more. This changing picture makes ensuring workers can find their way to sectors where demand is high all the more important. Unless business and government act on this it may cost the UK economy up to £39 billion per year from 2024 - the equivalent of two Elizabeth Lines.”
Commenting on teacher shortages, Neil Carberry added:
“Schools are increasingly struggling to recruit this year with more than 46,500 job adverts. This is after the double-digit percentage rise in education vacancies we reported last month. This happens when employers fail to address pay and people’s experience at work. Teachers face a double whammy because their pay has stagnated, but they are also losing classroom help, such as teaching assistants and new technology, because of a squeeze on school budgets.”
Occupations with notable increases in job adverts in the week of 17-23 April compared to the previous week (10-16 April) include collector salespersons and credit card agent (+18.4%), dental practitioner (+13.2%), glaziers (who install different glass products), window fabricators and fitters (+12.6%). Adverts for mobile machine drivers and operatives (+12.4%) authors, writers and translators (+11.1%), and telephonists (+10.3%) roles also saw high growth.
There were big weekly declines in job adverts for floorers and wall tilers (-11.6%), driving instructors (-4.5%), prison service officers (below principal officer) (-4.1%), solicitors (-2.0%), and IT engineers (-1.8%).
Six out of the UK’s top ten hiring hotspots in the week of 17-23 April were in Northern Ireland. Causeway Coast and Glens (+16.1%), Fermanagh and Omagh (+12.2%), Derry City and Strabane (+11.8%), Antrim and Newtownabbey (+10.4%), Newry, Mourne and Down (+10%), Lisburn and Castlereagh (+9.7%) all saw notable increases in job adverts. In recent months there has been growing need for secondary school teachers, programmers and software development professionals, solicitors, cleaners and domestic workers in Northern Ireland.
Separately, Bexley and Greenwich (+0%) saw no growth in job adverts, while Camden and City of London (+0.3%), Solihull (+1.1%), Westminster (+1.3%), and Cambridgeshire CC (+1.2%) accounted for the lowest growth in job adverts.
Ends
Notes to editors:
- The Labour Market Tracker is produced by the REC in partnership with Lightcast, using their Job Postings Analytics data which is harvested from tens of thousands of job boards. Data was harvested between 17-23 April 2023. For more details, see the attached annexes which, in league table format, detail the top and bottom ten county/unitary authorities for growth in job postings and growth by occupation type.
- ‘Active’ job postings are those which were live online during the specified time period. ‘New’ job postings are those which were added to the active stock during the specified time period.
Media enquiries
For more information and interview enquiries, contact the REC Press Office on 020 7009 2157 or pressoffice@rec.uk.com. Outside of regular office hours, please call 07702 568 829.
Click here to view all REC press releases.
About the REC
The REC is the voice of the recruitment industry, speaking up for great recruiters. We drive standards and empower recruitment businesses to build better futures for great candidates and themselves. We are champions of an industry which is fundamental to the strength of the UK economy.
Find out more about the Recruitment & Employment Confederation at www.rec.uk.com.
About Lightcast
Lightcast (formerly Emsi Burning Glass) provides trusted global labour market data, analytics, and expert guidance that empowers communities, corporations, and learning providers to make informed decisions and navigate the increasingly complex world of work. With a database of more than one billion job postings and career profiles, our team provides best-in-class customer service with robust data, clear analysis, and expert guidance on skills, jobs, and opportunities.
Headquartered in Boston, Massachusetts, and Moscow, Idaho, Lightcast is active in more than 30 countries and has offices in the United Kingdom, Italy, New Zealand, and India. The company is backed by global private equity leader KKR. For more, visit www.lightcast.io/uk.
ANNEXES
Top ten and bottom ten county/unitary authorities for growth in job postings:
|
County/unitary authority |
Unique active job postings, 17-23 April |
Change in active job postings, 10-16 April to 17-23 April |
|
Causeway Coast and Glens |
527 |
16.1% |
|
Fermanagh and Omagh |
581 |
12.2% |
|
Derry City and Strabane |
1,017 |
11.8% |
|
Moray |
1,106 |
10.6% |
|
Antrim and Newtownabbey |
1,886 |
10.4% |
|
Newry, Mourne and Down |
1,513 |
10.0% |
|
Lisburn and Castlereagh |
1,400 |
9.7% |
|
Dumfries and Galloway |
1,570 |
9.7% |
|
Scottish Borders |
938 |
9.6% |
|
Argyll and Bute |
1,153 |
9.5% |
|
- |
|
|
|
Manchester |
60,126 |
2.3% |
|
Kensington & Chelsea and Hammersmith & Fulham |
2,295 |
2.2% |
|
City of Bristol |
43,171 |
2.0% |
|
Leicester |
13,639 |
1.9% |
|
Swindon |
7,542 |
1.6% |
|
Westminster |
2,146 |
1.3% |
|
Cambridgeshire CC |
24,324 |
1.2% |
|
Solihull |
5,631 |
1.1% |
|
Camden and City of London |
12,052 |
0.3% |
|
Bexley and Greenwich |
2,762 |
0.0% |
Top ten and bottom ten occupations by growth in job postings:
|
Occupation |
Unique active job postings, 17-23 April |
Change in active job postings, 10-16 April to 17-23 April |
|
Collector salespersons and credit agents |
476 |
18.4% |
|
Dental practitioners |
2,479 |
13.2% |
|
Glaziers, window fabricators and fitters |
672 |
12.6% |
|
Mobile machine drivers and operatives |
1,150 |
12.4% |
|
Farm workers |
605 |
11.4% |
|
Leisure and theme park attendants |
1,019 |
11.2% |
|
Authors, writers and translators |
5,415 |
11.1% |
|
Vehicle paint technicians |
320 |
11.1% |
|
Telephonists |
3,717 |
10.3% |
|
Air traffic controllers |
1,468 |
10.0% |
|
- |
|
|
|
Natural and social science professionals |
856 |
-0.6% |
|
Market research interviewers |
340 |
-0.6% |
|
Programmers and software development professionals |
54,977 |
-1.3% |
|
Research and development managers |
1,067 |
-1.4% |
|
Plumbers and heating and ventilating engineers |
8,171 |
-1.6% |
|
IT engineers |
769 |
-1.8% |
|
Solicitors |
22,847 |
-2.0% |
|
Prison service officers (below principal officer) |
2,445 |
-4.1% |
|
Driving instructors |
2,912 |
-4.5% |
|
Floorers and wall tilers |
912 |
-11.6% |
Key indicator occupations
|
Occupation |
Unique active job postings, 17-23 April |
Change in active job postings, 10-16 April to 17-23 April |
|
Waiters and waitresses |
10,988 |
7.8% |
|
Cleaners and domestics |
30,537 |
7.5% |
|
Elementary storage occupations |
19,515 |
7.4% |
|
Bar staff |
8,202 |
6.7% |
|
Fitness instructors |
3,255 |
6.6% |
|
Property, housing and estate managers |
8,801 |
6.2% |
|
Hairdressers and barbers |
1,845 |
6% |
|
Sales and retail assistants |
20,079 |
5.6% |
|
Beauticians and related occupations |
1,443 |
5.5% |
|
Large goods vehicle drivers |
9,989 |
5.3% |
|
Sports coaches, instructors and officials |
6,426 |
5.1% |
|
Primary and nursery education teaching professionals |
22,977 |
4.8% |
|
Finance and investment analysts and advisers |
16,823 |
4.2% |
|
Metal working production and maintenance fitters |
6,351 |
4.2% |
|
Chefs |
20,763 |
4.0% |
|
Secondary education teaching professionals |
23,530 |
3.8% |
|
Chartered and certified accountants |
31,745 |
3.3% |
|
Care workers and home carers |
62,001 |
3.2% |
|
Electricians and electrical fitters |
10,416 |
2.8% |
|
Mechanical engineers |
13,527 |
1.9% |
|
Carpenters and joiners |
5,315 |
1.8% |
Share this article