MNI BRIEF: UK Vacancy Growth At Record High: KPMG/REC

The UK labour market continues its recovery with recruitment activity gaining further momentum in June, with vacancy growth rates jumping to a record high, data published Thursday by KPMG/REC showed. "As we move towards the final easing of pandemic restrictions, permanent role availability increased at the quickest rate since the survey began in 1997 and temporary roles rose to the greatest extent for 23-and-a-half years," said Claire Warnes, Partner and Head of Education, Skills and Productivity at KPMG UK.

At the same time, staff availability dropped at the fastest rate on record for both permanent and temporary postings. "Recruiters noted that increased hiring, Brexit, pandemic-related uncertainty and the furlough scheme all weighed on candidate numbers," the report showed. An uptick in labour demand together with a decline in candidate supply, led to a sharp rise in starting salaries.

"We need action from businesses and government to reskill and upskill furloughed and prospective workers now more than ever, as the increasing skills gap in the workforce has the potential to slow the UK's economic recovery," Warnes added.