Switzerland – PageGroup: Jobseeker confidence hits record high in Q4

According to the PageGroup Job Confidence Index for Q4 2018, Swiss candidates’ overall confidence about their professional future reached 58% in Q4. This is the highest level since the Index began in 2014.

The Index also found that 52% of candidates across Switzerland said they were confident about...

UK – Demand for professionals falls in December amid Brexit uncertainty

Professional recruitment firms in the UK reported that demand for permanent talent fell by 3% year-on-year in December 2018, while vacancies for contingent workers decreased by 5% over the same period, according to new survey data from the Association of Professional Staffing Companies (APSCo).  ...

UK – Government backs REC’s proposals to make Apprenticeship Levy more flexible

Members of Parliament are backing the Recruitment and Employment’s proposals to make the Apprenticeship Levy more flexible.

The announcement comes as the All Party Parliamentary Group (APPG) on Women and Work, along with the REC, launch a toolkit, “How to Recruit Women for the 21st Century”. The...

Ireland – Government to ratify the ILO Forced Labour Protocol

Ireland’s Minister for Business, Enterprise and Innovation, Heather Humphreys announced that the cabinet has approved the decision to ratify the International Labour Organisation (ILO) Forced Labour Protocol, 2014. 

The Forced Labour Protocol, a legally binding instrument of the ILO, reinforces...

UK – Gibraltar government offers agency workers full time employment (Gibraltar Chronicle)

The Gibraltar Government made offers of direct, full time employment in government to all staff of recruitment agencies who have been providing ‘relief cover’ in the civil service, reports the Gibraltar Chronicle. Trade union Unite said the decision will affect more than 100 agency workers. Chief...

UK – SThree full year revenue up 13% in constant currency, Europe drives growth

Specialist recruiter SThree plc reported revenue of £1.2 billion for the full year ended 30 November 2018, an increase of 13% on a constant currency basis.

Europe – Groupe Adéquat acquires Dutch temp employment firm CONNECT

French staffing firm Groupe Adéquat announced that it has acquired a 100% shareholding in Dutch technical temporary employment agency CONNECT. 

No financial details of the transaction were disclosed. CONNECT will continue under the same name with the existing management team and employees remaining...

UK – Impellam appoints Simon Blockley to CEO of Guidant Global

UK staffing firm Impellam Group announced that Simon Blockley, Managing Director of European operations at Guidant Global, has been promoted to CEO with immediate effect in a strategic move to drive future growth.

With over 20 years’ experience in resourcing and managed service recruitment, Blockley...

UK – Apprentice and graduate jobs to rise by a third in 2019, but employers concerned about talent supply

UK employers are increasing their apprentice and graduate vacancies by 27% this year, according to a survey from the Institute of Student Employers.

The survey, which polled nearly 300 of the Institute’s employer members, found that more than 17,000 entry jobs will be offered in 2019 and 70% of employers...

Ireland – UK job applications for Irish-based roles sees record growth in 2018

Growth in UK job applications for Irish-based roles in 2018 increased by 34% in 2018 when compared to the previous year, according to data from jobs site Irishjobs.ie.

The data estimated that visits from the UK accounted for 27% of total overseas traffic to the site in 2018.

Technology roles saw the largest...