There are nearly one million advertised job vacancies across the UK ahead of lockdown easing on May 17, the highest level since November 2019, according to figures seen exclusively by the Big Issue.
The job site Adzuna, which indexes 95 per cent of the job adverts across the country, says it has seen six consecutive weeks of “rapid vacancy growth” since lockdown restrictions began to loosen, with many businesses desperate for staff ahead of the further easing of rules next week. Adverts have topped 900,000 for five weeks in a row, up nearly 18 per cent since the end of March.The top hiring sectors are IT, with over 120,000 vacancies, trade and construction with nearly 95,000, and engineering, teaching, logistics and warehouse work with more than 70,000 in each area.
Get free access to jobs listings, free training courses and careers advice at jobs.bigissue.com
Hospitality and catering vacancies have soared since lockdown restrictions have eased, up 177 per cent compared to six weeks ago, causing many to voice concern that pubs and restaurants may not be able to open as hoped because of a staff shortage.Andrew Hunter, co-founder of job search engine Adzuna, said: “We’re approaching the milestone of one million jobs in the UK thanks to rapid hiring over recent weeks ready for the final lifting of lockdown restrictions. In particular, retailers and restaurants and bars are hiring at pace for the reopening, though there is hot competition for staff, with many hospitality and retail workers having left the industry to look for more secure work after the ups and downs of the last year. Foreign workers have also fallen in number, further hitting these industries.”
Top hiring hospitality companies include Whitbread with nearly 1,500 jobs and Stonegate Pub Company with just over 1,000. Firms such as Pizza Express, Domino’s Pizza, JD Wetherspoon, Compass Group, Marriott and Nando’s are all looking to fill hundreds of vacancies.
The UK’s other biggest hirers include retailers such as New Look and Primark, delivery companies like Yodel/ Home Delivery Network, and the British Army, which is looking to fill 405 vacancies.