New job vacancies increase by 7%

New job vacancies increased by more than 7% last month compared with a year ago, according to a new report.

Employment firm Reed said most sectors were posting more jobs than a year ago, especially motoring, health and medicine, social care and engineering.

Part-time working is on the increase, with new opportunities doubling over the past year, said Reed.

The number of general vacancies is higher in every region except East Anglia, with bigger than average increases in Northern Ireland, the East Midlands and the West Midlands.

Martin Warnes, managing director at reed.co.uk, said: "Following two months of encouraging figures, we can say with some confidence that the UK jobs market is in a significantly healthier position than it was this time last year.

"Though month on month growth fell back slightly, largely due to the extended bank holiday period, broadly speaking, job opportunities are growing healthily across many sectors and in the vast majority of regions.

"A good news story arising from the figures is the buoyancy of the automotive and engineering sectors.

"Recent developments in the car industry, particularly in the West Midlands and also in the North West, have provided a major boost to job prospects within both fields, which continue to play such a major role in the overall health of the jobs market and wider UK economy.

"The rise in part-time opportunities is also noteworthy, reflecting a growing flexibility and open-minded approach on the part of employers to look for ways to retain roles and sustain business development in a challenging economy."