ICT industry leading the charge for permanent staff
Demand for staff has increased at its fastest pace since September 2007 as the recovery from the recession extends into the jobs market, according to figures out yesterday. Vacancies for permanent staff have risen at their fastest rate for three and a half years, while demand for temporary staff increased for the 14th consecutive month, according to the Bank of Scotland's monthly jobs report.
All eight economic sectors monitored by the bank reported rising requirements for staff during March, with the information technology (IT) and computing industry leading the charge for permanent workers.
Donald MacRae, chief economist at Bank of Scotland, said: "This latest report on jobs provides further evidence of the recovery in the Scottish economy. Recovery from the recession is extending to the labour market, with the demand for permanent staff rising at the fastest pace for three and a half years. Permanent staff appointments also increased for the sixth consecutive month, although growth eased from February's 14-month high."
The bank's labour market barometer - an indicator designed to provide a single figure snapshot of job market conditions - gave a reading of 53.8 in March, down slightly on February's 55.2 but still adding to the highest quarterly reading since the first quarter of 2008.
Figures due to be published later this week will also show a surge in optimism amongst Scotland's technology firms. Data from trade body ScotlandIS will reveal that nearly two-thirds of IT companies plan to recruit staff in the next 12 months, with the emphasis being on graduates and permanent staff rather than temporary contractors.
ScotlandIS chief executive Polly Purvis said: "Better numbers of firms are taking on graduates. Going back three years there was much more emphasis on taking on people on contract - now they are taking on permanent staff."
While Purvis said the Scottish IT sector has not yet emerged from the recession, she did say that "people are quietly confident about this year. What we are also beginning to see is an emergence of some 'bigger' small companies that are really going places - and that means going outside Scotland. Clearly that's where the opportunity for everybody is - expanding overseas."
Source : Nathalie Thomas, The Scotsman