New figures revealed by Bank of Scotland have showed that the number of permanent jobs in the nation has fallen for the first time in 2012. Dundee was the worst affected area, with overall figures showing that there was no change in the job market meaning that employment rates have dropped considerably. Overall, the number of permanent positions dropped, with firms utilising short-term workers to plug staffing gaps instead.
With the turbulent economy continuing, job creation remains very variable from month to month. Despite having weathered the economic storm well, Scotland finally seems to be noting some negative effects to its labour sector, with recruitment levels dropping off as companies become more cautious.
Bank of Scotland chief economist, Donald MacRae, said: “The Scottish labour market showed a marginal improvement in July but is losing momentum. The number of people appointed to permanent jobs declined for the first time this year, showing the effect of the current slowdown in the economy; however, the number of vacancies continued to increase giving hope that the upwards trend in employment can be maintained.”
Whilst July’s employment rates fell, the previous news has been positive. Unemployment fell by 5,000 in the three months to June, whilst employment grew by 12,000 in the same period. The latest data, however, shows that jobs may be slightly harder to come by in the next few months, with recruitment agencies set to see falling rates of permanent position creation.
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