Construction sees strong jobs

The latest Manpower quarterly report shows a building recovery is providing the construction industry with the strongest outlook for jobs for five years. In a survey of more than 2,000 employers Manpower found that hiring intentions in the sector had risen to their highest in five years as building projects in the capital finally got off the ground again. While the construction of London's skyscrapers, including the Cheesegrater and the Walkie Talkie, were the main drivers behind the upturn, Crossrail also played a part. Manpower said that the recent improvement in the sector was vital because it had acted as one of the main drags on the UK economy over the past year. The report notes that Babcock has asked Manpower to recruit around 1,000 highly skilled permanent staff next year. The report also revealed that supermarket group Wm Morrison has asked it to find 1,500 more team members to support its plans to open 100 convenience stores around the country. A separate study published by the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development added to the belief that the economic recovery is gathering momentum reporting that the UK economy is expanding a little above its forecast trajectory in April.

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