The UK has recorded a new record high number of jobs currently being advertised at 1.85 million, according to the latest data.
After its’s been observed by recruiters that active job postings have been steadily rising since mid-June, now, according to the Recruitment & Employment Confederation (REC)’s latest Labour Market Tracker, in the week of 25-31 July, the number of open job vacancies across the UK has hit a new record high for 2022 at 1.85 million.
The number of active job adverts averaged out between 180,000 and 200,000 per week during late June and July, but in the last week of July, there were 182,000 new postings.
This is still 22% below this year’s highest figure of 234,000 – which was recorded in March.
Roles in the arts, such as actors, entertainers, presenters, dancers, and choreographers, were found to be the most in-demand according to the latest datas, with a high number of vacancies also calling for driving instructors, sewing machinists, water and sewage plant operatives, and street cleaners.
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Fitness instructors, beauticians and related occupations, and construction workers were also found to be in high demand.
Vacancies for probation officers, health and social care workers, secondary school teachers, paramedics, and more all fell in recent weeks however, according to the report.
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There were 1.85 million job adverts in the UK on the last week of July / Credit: Jose Losada (via Unsplash)
The REC said that the rising number of active postings overall likely reflects job adverts being left open for longer, with employers across the country struggling to attract candidates for their vacancies, and as a result, despite these worker shortages, rising inflation, and energy costs, there is no sign that the jobs market is starting to shrink.
“This new data shows the continued strength of the jobs market, despite any wider economic uncertainty,” explained Kate Shoesmith – Deputy Chief Executive of REC.
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“The number of job adverts being posted each week is stable.
“It’s a great time to be looking for work as a jobseeker, as employers are having to think more about the pay, benefits, conditions and development opportunities they offer both new starters and current staff as they compete for talent.”
She did admit, however, that there is a “danger” that with costs soaring, employers will have to “reprioritise”, as there is still no viable support package for businesses to meet these rising costs.
Driving instructors, dancers, choreographers, and other roles in the arts were some of the most in-demand in 2022 / Credit: Flickr | Pxhere
Ms Shoesmith continued: “We know that employers’ confidence in the broader economy has started to drop, so the government must play its role, both in supporting people and businesses through the current crisis, and also by working with industry to create a sustainable labour market.
“We need a long-term workforce strategy that encompasses skills, immigration and makes childcare and local transport part of the infrastructure of our labour market.”
When it comes to the most amount of vacancies by location, the local area with the highest increase in job adverts was Newry, Mourne, and Down in Northern Ireland (+8.3%), followed by Haringey and Islington (+7.1%), and Chorley and West Lancashire (+7.0%).
At the other end of the scale, five out of the bottom 10 local areas for growth in active job postings were in Scotland.
Greater Manchester was not named in either the top or bottom 10 local areas.
Featured Image – RawPixel
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This Manchester suburb has just been named one of the UK’s ‘happiest’ places to live in 2024
Thomas Melia
An annual poll has named the Manchester suburb of Didsbury spot among 70 locations said to be the ‘happiest’ places to live in the UK.
Greater Manchester has got lots to say for itself, especially with its diverse and unique cultural landscapes, as well as various vibrant communities, so it comes as no surprise that one of our beautiful suburbs has been voted in a list of the UK’s happiest places to live for this year.
The survey included submissions from 5,000 people and there’s a lot of love being shown to the neighbouring areas of Yorkshire like Doncaster, Bingley, and Harrogate – the lattermost placed in second in the entire country.
But, ranking 62nd out of a possible 70 places, the distinct and vibrant area of Didsbury has been noticed by Furniturebox as one of the ‘happiest’ places to live in the UK.
Credit: The Manc Group
The results took into consideration good state schools, affordable housing, as well as accessibility to pubs, bars, restaurants, independent shops, retailers and more.
With multiple parks, walking destinations, and top-notch travel links with Bee Network trams and buses easily taking you back into the city centre and out to other boroughs, East, West and Didsbury Village all remain some of the most sought-after areas in the region.
There’s a whole host of indie retailers to enjoy, especially on the likes of the main high street and Burton Road, which effectively serves as its own cultural district, home to vintage clothing shops like Steranko, tailored styling opticians Fox Brothers and much more.
Burton Rd also boasts countless fantastic food and drink spots like The Great Kathmandu, SANTÉ, Volta and Proove Pizza, just to name a few; we’ve spent plenty of time just on this stretch of Didsbury alone.
If you’ve spent even a little time in Dids, you’ll know there’s plenty going on and it’s certainly one our happiest places in all of Greater Manchester and therefore the UK.
You can also enjoy the famous ‘Didsbury Dozen’ right on your doorstep.
Elsewhere, and somewhat unsurprisingly, Shakespeare’s ever-romanticised hometown of Stratford-Upon-Avon once again reigned supreme at the top of this list.
That being said, it’s refreshing to see that these locations weren’t entirely related to wealth and similar factors, the survey took affordability into careful consideration.
Cheshire was destined for success with its cracking views and grand properties, as the North West county made waves for the region managing to place in fifth position, holding up against Falmouth in Cornwall which placed in sixth.
Although not nabbing that all-important top spot, Didsbury is carrying the flag for 0161 and showing what all know to be true: Northerners do it best.
A Greater Manchester town could be set to get a train station for the first time in 60 years
Emily Sergeant
It’s been a whopping six decades, but the residents of one local town could soon be able to hop on a train out of there.
That’s because a planning application for a brand-new £32 million station in Golborne – which would connect the Greater Manchester town, in the Wigan borough, to the rail network for the first time in more than 60 years – has been submitted to Wigan Council, meaning connectivity is finally one step closer to becoming reality.
In case you didn’t know, Golborne currently has no direct bus, train, or tram services to Manchester, and Leigh is the biggest town in England without a rail station, while the wider area is the largest and most-populous area in Greater Manchester not connected to the rail network.
The milestone aims to boost access to jobs and opportunities for people in the town and the wider Wigan borough.
NEWS: Greater Manchester on track with plan for first new rail station in over 20 years. 🚉
✅ 90%+ public consultation support for Golborne station in Wigan ✅ Planning application in to @WiganCouncil ✅ Local area improvements and walking and cycling links
According to Transport for Greater Manchester (TfGM), the Golborne station scheme forms part of a wider ambition to bring eight commuter lines into the Bee Network by 2028 – of which “significant investment” has been put into.
The application includes plans for a new accessible two-platform rail station, including step-free access throughout with a footbridge across the tracks and lifts to both platforms, a new hourly service between Wigan and Manchester Victoria, and onwards to Stalybridge, an improved town centre car park, and also new walking and cycling links to the town centre.
The submitting of the proposals comes after nearly 3,000 people had their say on the station earlier this year, with more than 90% of respondents supporting the plans.
A CGI of what the proposed new Golborne station could look like, if plans are approved / Credit: TfGM
If the plans are approved by Wigan Council, work on the site should begin in 2026, according to TfGM, with the new station scheduled to open in 2027.
Mayor Andy Burnham called the submitting of the proposals a “transformative step” for the region.
“It has taken a huge effort to get us to this point,” he explained. “But we have finally reached a major milestone on the journey to reconnect Golborne to the rail network for the first time in over 60 years.
“The proposal is based on extremely sound evidence and huge progress has been made with a planning application being submitted and overwhelming support from local residents.”
Emily Sergeant -
12th August 2022 
