"The UK jobs market looks healthier today than at any time in the last two years," according to the Recruitment and Employment Confederation's latest monthly Report on Jobs, out today. The key stats can be found on XpertHR [subscription required].
"Based on the latest findings, we anticipate that unemployment will not reach three million in 2010 as some predicted," says REC's chief executive Kevin Green.
The report says that:
- Permanent placements have increased at their fastest rate in two years;
- The growth of temporary staff appointments is at a 16-month high; and
- There were weaker falls in both permanent and temporary staff pay.
This is the third month in a row that the REC survey has shown staff appointments increasing.
However there was also bad news this week, with research from the Higher Education Careers Services Unit (as reported on Personnel Today.com) showing that graduate unemployment had increased by 44% over the past 12 months and is now at its highest for 12 years.
Another study (by the Centre for Cities) predicts that graduate unemployment will rise further in 2010 as a result of an anticipated public sector recruitment freeze.
With the last labour market figures showing unemployment growth slowing, the next lot of figures - out Wednesday 11 November 2009 - may shed some light on prospects for 2010. But as with so many economic indicators at the moment, it is likely that uncertainty will remain the main theme.
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