Manufacturers looking to internet to recruit

The annual survey of over 4,500 employers indicates that around one in ten British businesses operating in the manufacturing sector were on the look out to hire new staff last year, 12% of which used the internet as a channel to advertise vacancies. The proportion of overall vacancies now being advertised through the internet has increased to 16% from 12% in 2004, with one in every eight employers surveyed confirming they had used internet websites to advertise a vacancy in the last 12 months. This online trend is also being reflected by jobseekers themselves. In a single week in June, the Jobcentre Plus website experienced a record 6.6 million job searches conducted by nearly 2.2 million online jobseekers. Caroline Flint, minister of state for employment and welfare reform, said: “Employment in the UK continues to show sustained growth. However, if we are to meet our aim of achieving 80% employment we need to work harder still to support more people back into work. Jobcentre Plus plays a crucial role working with employers to fill vacancies by identifying the right people with the right skills.” Lesley Strathie, chief executive, Jobcentre Plus said: “This survey demonstrates the continued strength and development of the UK recruitment market. It is encouraging to see employers using services such as our website and the Employer Direct Online service, which gives employers complete control of the recruitment process from advertising to appointment. That is growing at a rapid pace and we expect that trend to continue.”