Professional job availability across the south of England remains strong, with Cambridge, Bristol and Southampton creating opportunities within different sectors, according to new data from the Association of Professional Staffing Companies (APSCo), based on research undertaken by Vacancysoft.

Technology, media & telecoms is now the leading sector for job opportunities in Cambridge, with vacancies rising by 12% year-on-year in April 2019. The top profession for job openings continues to be IT, despite demand remaining relatively flat, increasing by 2% year-on-year.

With regards to specific roles, software engineering took the lead, overtaking research & development roles. Demand for internal recruiters rose by 25%, indicating increased future hiring for the region.

Meanwhile, the University of Cambridge holds its position as the top organisation for hiring. Astrazeneca PLC is the second largest job creator in the city, increasing recruitment by 6%, following its move to Alderley Park.

In Bristol, professional services is now the leading sector for job opportunities, with vacancies rising by 13% year-on-year in April 2019.

Job creation was also significant in the industrials sector, with aerospace being the single largest area of growth, with demand for procurement professionals to assess requirements for stock and warehousing up by over 30%. In the financial services sector, vacancies increased by 9% in technology, media & telecoms, where demand for talent grew by 4% over the same period.

The University of Bristol was the biggest recruiter in the city, with hiring increasing by 5% in 2018, year-on-year.

Meanwhile, in Southampton, demand for IT professionals is soaring in Southampton with vacancies increasing by 22% year-on-year.

Carnival PLC was the top firm for job creation in the city.

By sector, professional vacancies in consumer goods and services rocketed, increasing by 33%. In contrast, financial services witnessed a 10% decrease in job creation in 2018.

In terms of specific roles, internal recruiters are the most sought after professionals, with vacancies up 39%.

Rina Durban, Membership Relations Manager at APSCo, commented, “The trend across all three cities, is growth in demand for tech professionals. Cambridge, Southampton and Bristol are all known to be excellent talent hubs, benefitting from high-skilled individuals from the universities, and expected to attract even more business to the regions.”