February saw vacancies reach highest number in 2021

A new report has revealed that job vacancies in the UK saw a 10% week-on-week increase in the run up to the Budget, with the number of roles in the last week of February reaching its highest figure in 2021.

The report, compiled by Broadbean Technology, found that unsurprisingly demand for teachers was up, as the schools set to reopen – across the education and training sector, vacancies increased 33% week-on-week at the end of February.

Insurance and finance also reported a rise in jobs, with vacancies up 23% week-on-week, as organisations prepare up to ramp up business following the Prime Minister’s road map announcement.

However, as expected, the leisure and tourism sectors are continuing to struggle, reporting a 42% decline in vacancies at the end of February.

Alex Fourlis, Managing Director at Broadbean Technology, commented, “It’s encouraging to see an overall uptick in vacancies across the UK following the Prime Minister’s announcement of a road map to recovery and ahead of the Chancellor’s latest Budget. There’s no doubt that this bolstered confidence amongst hirers and we hope that the extension of business support schemes throughout the rest of this year will further help the UK economy – and in turn the recruitment market – build back stronger.

“The uptick in hiring across education and training is to be expected following the confirmation that schools would return. However, the decline in the number of applications per vacancy is a concerning statistic. Throughout the pandemic we have seen education institutions struggling to source teaching professionals – both permanent and supply – to cover lessons. With rapid testing facilities being rolled out to help combat the spread of the virus, it’s likely that schools will face staff shortages as teachers face periods of isolation.”

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