Active job postings in the UK totalled 1.8 million in February, down from 2.5 million during the same period last year, according to the latest Recruitment & Employment Confederation (REC) and Lightcast Labour Market Tracker.

The Tracker showed that the number of active postings in February 2024 was 1,873,386, lower than a year ago (2.5 million) but ahead of the equivalent figure for February 2020 (1.57 million). At the same time, there were 810,651 new job postings in February 2024, a 5.5% fall from the month before.

The Tracker also said February’s figures reflect continued labour shortages driven by a smaller active workforce, skills shortages in sectors like engineering and fast changes in consumer markets.

Overall, when looking at the government region statistics the Tracker noted that the number of active job postings in Scotland grew by 1.2%. Six of the bottom ten areas in the UK with the lowest growth were in Scotland, this is similar to the previous month.

In terms of occupations, the Tracker showed that occupations with notable increases in adverts in February 2024 include authors, writers and translators (+67.5%), window cleaners (+38.1%), and clothing, fashion and accessories designers (+28.2%).

There was also growing demand for driving instructors (+27.4%), gardeners and landscape gardeners (+26.0%) and data entry administrators (+24.9%).

Delivery drivers and couriers (-21.6%), optometrists (23.5%) and prison service officers (below principal officer) (39.6%) all showed the largest decline in roles from January 2024 to February 2024.

 Across the UK, North and North East Lincolnshire (18.6%), Wakefield (16.9%) and Hackney and Newham (16.5%) had among the highest growth in job postings when compared to January 2024.

Causeway Coast and Glens (-6.0%), Moray (-7.3%) and Orkney Islands (-28.3%) all accounted for the sharpest decline in job postings.

When looking at the top ten counties/unitary authorities for growth in active job postings, four were based in Yorkshire and Humber.

REC Chief Executive Neil Carberry said, “It’s clear that the jobs market has slowed with the economy over the past year, and today’s figures reflect that. But the level of hiring activity is more resilient than would be expected at a time like this, driven by the UK’s tight labour supply, and forward-looking indicators of rising business confidence. For companies, this is a timely reminder that hiring is likely to remain challenging, especially as growth picks up.”