The prospects for Scotland’s job market are the best they have been since the recession, with growing numbers of employers planning to take on staff, according to a new report.
Manpower said hiring intentions in Scotland were at a seven-year high and there was no sign of any nervousness among employers about the looming independence vote.
The employment group questioned more than 2,000 firms throughout the UK for its latest quarterly survey, and found that optimism north of the border was highest in the public sector.
Manpower operations manager Amanda White said: “There is a positive message coming from our clients in Scotland.
“We are not seeing hiring affected by any uncertainty about the outcome of the Scottish independence referendum in September.
“This is a busy time for Scotland, with the Glasgow Commonwealth Games and the Ryder Cup in Gleneagles, and this could be triggering some of the confidence we’re seeing.”
She added: “The Commonwealth Games organising committee has announced it will be employing over 1,000 people this summer, and research has shown that each £100million spent as a result of tourism will help support an extra 1,300 full-time positions in the wider Scottish economy.
“70% of all jobs created by the Games are expected to be in distribution and catering, and these short-term roles provide a real opportunity for young people to gain the experience required to get a foothold in the jobs market.
“Aside from this summer jobs boom, the majority of the vacancies we fill are actually full-time roles and we have also seen a small increase in our permanent business over the quarter.
“There have been improvements in confidence across the market, with some notable organisations such as the NHS and finance call centres all looking to hire.”
Ms White said activity in the NHS was driven in part by new hospital building and renovations, creating jobs for security guards and administrative professionals.
She added: “Looking at individual cities there is an interesting picture, with Edinburgh leading the way in contact centre and manufacturing roles.
“Both Glasgow and Aberdeen have seen an uptick in public sector roles, especially within the NHS, with skilled administrators in demand in both cities.
“Grangemouth is offering candidates more permanent roles, particularly in sales and general administration.”