The Recruitment and Employment Confederation (REC) and KPMG Report on Jobs – published today – provides the most comprehensive guide to the UK labour market, drawing on original survey data provided by recruitment consultancies.

Marked growth of staff appointments…
Permanent staff placements rose at a strong and accelerated rate in April, although the rate of expansion remained below February’s recent peak. Temp billings also rose at a robust pace, albeit the lowest since June 2013.

…as demand for staff remains strong
Underpinning higher staff appointments was a further increase in vacancy levels during April. The rate of growth in demand for staff was broadly unchanged from March’s elevated pace.

Sharper reduction in candidate availability…
The availability of staff to fill positions declined at a faster rate in April. For permanent candidates, the latest fall was the sharpest since October 2004, while for temporary workers it was the steepest since December 2000.

…drives rising pay pressures
Growth of permanent salaries accelerated further in April. The latest increase was the most marked since July 2007. Temporary staff pay increased at a solid pace that was sharper than in the preceding month.

Regional and sector variation
The Midlands and the North posted the strongest increases in placements during the latest survey period, while the South saw the slowest growth.  Temp billings growth was strongest in the Midlands, while the North posted the slowest rise.  Demand for staff continued to rise at a particularly sharp pace in the private sector during April, with permanent employees registering a more marked increase than temporary workers.

Public sector demand for staff continued to grow at a solid pace, with temporary vacancies showing a faster rise than permanent roles.

Engineering remained the most in-demand category for permanent staff in April. Strong rates of expansion were signaled across the board, with Nursing/Medical/Care taking second place in the demand for staff ‘league table’.

Mirroring the trend seen for permanent staff, Engineering was the most sought-after category for temporary/contract workers in the latest month, followed by Nursing/Medical/Care. All other staffing types saw strong rates of growth in job vacancies.
Source- rec.uk.com