UK – Engineering sector facing several challenges, including skills shortages (Staffing Industry Review)

Several forces at play within the engineering sector, including skill shortages, are keeping UK staffing firms on their toes, according to Staffing Industry Review. In SI Review’s latest article, ‘Engineering for Change’, SIA highlights that demand remains strong for engineering talent in the UK,...

UK – Number of temporary employees down 5.2%, employment at joint-highest on record

The number of temporary employees in the UK fell by 5.2% on a seasonally adjusted basis to a total of 1.48 million in the three-month period from February through April 2019 when compared to the same period a year ago, according to the Office for National Statistics.

Temporary workers are self-identified...

Netherlands – ABU reports decrease in temporary workers’ hours

The total amount of hours worked by temporary workers in the Netherlands fell by 10% in the fifth period (weeks 17-20) of 2019, compared to the same period last year, according to the Dutch Federation of Private Employment Agencies (ABU).

ABU divides the year into four-week periods, with the fourth period...

World – World Employment Confederation makes ILO policy recommendations for ‘fair and decent’ future of work

As the International Labour Organisation prepares to adopt a new declaration to guide its work in the 21st century, the World Employment Confederation has made three policy recommendations to build a future of work that is fair and decent for diverse forms of work.

“The private employment industry has...

World – Majority of employees feel equipped to deal with digitalisation in their job: Randstad

The majority  (78%) of employees around the world feel equipped with digitalisation in their job, according to the latest Randstad Workmonitor for Q2 2019.

The Workmonitor, which covered 34 countries around the world, found that Brazilians are the most confident with digitalisation as 94% say they...

UK – APSCo to meet with MPs to discuss recruitment’s role in regional prosperity

The Association of Professional Staffing Companies (APSCo) is meeting with MPs representing constituencies across the UK in the coming weeks to discuss the role that the professional recruitment sector will play in enabling the government to achieve its goal of rebalancing the UK economy away from London...

Germany – De Raj Group enters strategic alliance with O&G Skills India

German-based energy firm De Raj Group announced that it has entered into a strategic alliance agreement with India-based oil and energy staffing firm O&G Skills India.

According to De Raj Group, the agreement paves the way for a takeover of O&G Skills India.

O&G Skills was founded in 2011....

Europe – Employment up in Q1 for euro area and EU28

Employment increased by 1.3% in the euro area and by 1.2% in the EU28 in the first quarter of 2019 when compared with the same quarter of the previous year, according to data from Eurostat, the statistical office of the European Union.

When compared to the fourth quarter of 2018, employment increased...

Ireland – CPL Resources CEO warns education system no longer prepares grads for workplace (Irish Times)

Founder and CEO of Irish recruitment firm CPL Resources Anne Heraty has called for the Irish education system to be overhauled as it is no longer adequately preparing young people for the workplace, reports the Irish Times. “Our education system is set up for an industrial era and it hasn’t really...

UK – Hiring activity remains muted in May as Brexit uncertainty looms over labour market

The number of people placed into permanent job roles across the UK fell in May and at a quicker pace than in April, according to the Report on Jobs from IHS Markit/REC (Recruitment and Employment Confederation) and professional services firm KPMG. At the same time, temp billings expanded marginally,...