At the end of September, we were delighted to be reporting that from a jobs perspective, the UK was back on track and seeing strong signs of recovery. Although redundancies were still occurring, the number of jobs being advertised and the rate of hiring put the UK back to where we were pre-coronavirus. And then the second wave took grip…
So where does this leave us now?
Our second lockdown has put the UK jobs market in a precarious position. Even though furlough has been reinstated until at least March 2021, economic uncertainty is dampening prospects for job seekers. Permanent placements have dropped to 48.8 on the index compared to 56 for September. Although this is not the best news, it is reassuring to see that the damage done to the jobs market when we first went into lockdown in March is not being replicated second time around. The other positive point to note is that the temporary placements market continues to rise and is more buoyant now than it has been for several years. This is largely due to businesses needing staff, but future uncertainty is preventing them from looking at permanent placements. That said, many of these temporary positions have the potential to become permanent as companies look at a temp to perm solution for their business.
What positions are still in demand?
Unsurprisingly, tech takes the top spot yet again for permanent placements with engineering, accounting and medical coming in behind. Although tech skills have been in demand for many years, Coronavirus has brought about an urgency for all businesses to embrace digital technology as the virus drives us to be more versatile and creative with how we do business in the 21st century. In a recent survey of over 2000 professionals, over half contemplating a career change have considered, or have begun, the process of moving into a tech-based role. With one in ten having already made the move.
What does the future hold?
Ah, well, without a crystal ball, there is no way to predict how the future is going to pan out and if there is one thing coronavirus has taught all of us this year; expect the unexpected. At this moment in time, the combination of the extension of the Furlough scheme and the incredible adaptability of businesses over the past eight months means that although we may see dips and falls in available jobs, we should not end up back in a position where we were in March this year. Unfortunately, further redundancies are going to come and we will see an increase in the number of candidates looking for jobs, but there are many training schemes and subsidies on offer at the moment and now is the time to start thinking about your skillset and how you can adapt to fit future business needs.
If you are looking for a new job or change of career or would just like some help or advice, the team at Amdas are here to help. Get in touch today by calling 0203 814 3600 or emailing info@amdas.co.uk
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