Permanent vacancies in Scotland rise 25 per cent year-on-year

Demand for permanent professionals in Scotland rose by 25 per cent year-on-year to February 2018 according to research from the Association of Professional Staffing Companies (APSCo).

The data, provided by recruitment software company, Innovantage, also reveals a notable increase in the banking and insurance sector where vacancies rose by 29 per cent.

Moya Rylands, regional director at APSCo said: “Scotland is seeing continued success following months of economic growth, with the banking & insurance sector in particular seeing business confidence rise.

“According to the latest Business Barometer report from Bank of Scotland Commercial Banking, confidence for business in Scotland rose 17 points during February, reaching 35 per cent. Hiring intentions are also strong with data revealing that 27 per cent of companies in Scotland now intend to recruit more staff during the next year, up 23 Barometer points from January and this drive towards hiring and economic optimism is something we hope to see continue.”

“The Barometer offers early signals for economic trends and the positive figures for Scotland reflect what our members are experiencing on the ground. While many still remain cautious with Brexit uncertainty, it is nevertheless encouraging to see confidence for Scottish businesses rise.”