Utilities and food sectors provide hope on jobs front

The region’s economy is also receiving a shot in the arm from increased activity in the food industry.

Yorkshire and the Humber’s employment outlook has remained positive, with a net employment outlook of +4 per cent for the second quarter of 2012, according to recruitment firm Manpower. This is an improvement on the +3 per cent recorded in the previous quarter.

Commenting on the figures, Amanda White, operations manager at Manpower UK, said: “While it’s too early to say that a full-blown recovery is upon us, it does feel like we’re continuing to turn a corner in the jobs market.

“This is certainly true for Yorkshire and the Humber, a region which has been one of the most stable and upbeat in terms of employment. Slowly but surely, over the last year employers in Yorkshire and the Humber have been getting more optimistic; they believe in the region and the talented candidate base.”

The Manpower Employment Outlook Survey is based on responses from 2,100 UK employers. It asks whether employers intend to hire extra staff or reduce the size of their workforce in the coming economic quarter.

Ms White added: “This quarter, growth in processed food and fresh food manufacturing has boosted sentiment and we are seeing high levels of recruitment in this sector. The growth of utilities at the national level is mirrored on a regional basis in Yorkshire and the Humber and we have seen an increase in the numbers of people being hired in this sector. Despite this, challenges still remain and we are advising candidates they will need to be open to trying different roles and even retraining.”

The latest Manpower figures also show that the Olympics are helping to boost confidence in London, where Manpower found a Net Employment Outlook of +7 per cent. Outside London, the most optimistic region is the East Midlands, with an outlook of +10 per cent, while the most pessimistic employers can be found in the North East, which has an outlook of -6 per cent.