Partner Article

North East firms set out recruitment plans

EIGHT months on from the UK’s official emergence from recession, employers in the North East have reported positive hiring intentions for the final quarter of 2010.

This is according to results released today in the Manpower Employment Outlook Survey.

Based on responses from over 2,100 UK employers, the Survey shows that in the North East employers plan to increase staffing levels over the next three months with a Seasonally Adjusted Net Employment Outlook of +3% reported.

Although positive, the North East’s Outlook of +3% is weaker by three percentage points quarter-over-quarter and by seven percentage points year-over-year.

Encouragingly though, employers in the region report stronger hiring intentions than the national average, which stands at +1% for the fourth consecutive quarter. Amanda White, operations manager at Manpower, said: “The North East is yet to return to pre-recession labour market conditions, having been hit hard by the downturn in manufacturing at the peak of recession.

“However, the positive noises from employers – both in Q3 2010, and for the upcoming quarter – highlight that there are jobs out there for those willing to be flexible in their requirements.

“As a business, we’re currently seeing specific demand for call centre workers, particularly within the utilities sector as businesses look to strengthen their competitive edge post-recession.”

This was posted in Bdaily's Members' News section by Ruth Mitchell .