Latest unemployment figures for York

The latest unemployment figures have been published. They show the number claiming  job seekers allowance in York remains stable at 0.9% (1212 workers).

The number is slightly up compared to the December figure of 1,169, but this can be attributed to seasonal factors.

As it has been for the last 15 years, the York rate is below both the regional (2.8%) and national (2.1%) averages.

The latest employment figures (to September 2014) confirm that York has higher levels of employment than most other parts of the region.

Nationally the figures released by the Office for National Statistics show that the rate of unemployment is now below 6 per cent and stands at 5.7 per cent.

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There are now 30.9m people in work.

The level of people in work is at a record of high of 73.2 per cent and average earnings including bonuses increased by 2.1 per cent in the quarter, compared with the previous year.  

Commenting on the figures, Liberal Democrat Business Secretary Vince Cable said:

“These record figures show that the number of people in work in Britain today is at an all-time high. This is an extraordinary achievement which the Liberal Democrats in government have helped to deliver. It shows we were right to resist Tory plans to cut workers’ basic rights in order to get firms hiring. Those calls were unjustified and would have been greatly damaging. 

“We have also cut long term unemployment by a quarter over the past year and those claiming unemployment benefits have fallen to their lowest levels since the financial crisis, creating a chance for everyone to get on in life.

“Many workers continue to see their weekly pay packet increase faster than inflation – meaning a real terms pay rise for millions of working families. We must now focus on seeing productivity rise, which means investing in long term skills to create a stronger economy through our industrial strategy.”

 

LibDem apprentice campaign hits £2 million as new York event announced

 Liberal Democrats in government are proud to have delivered more than two million apprenticeships in this Parliament.

Watch the video below to hear from Adam Marsh of ACE Training and Paige McConville, the two millionth apprentice.

Meanwhile the York Council is reminding businesses that there is still time to apply to exhibit at the third York Apprenticeship Recruitment Event on Thursday 12 March.

The city’s first two recruitment events in 2014 were successful, attracting over 300 young people and parents looking for information on Apprenticeships and Apprenticeship vacancies across the city. Last year’s events helped many employers such as Nestlé, Haxby Group Pharmacy, Burn & Co Solicitors, BHP Insurance and the NHS meet with aspiring young people who could fill their positions.

The event, which takes place at West Offices between 4.30pm and 7.30pm, will be held during National Apprenticeship Week and looks to highlight both the business benefits of hiring apprentices and the individual benefits of pursuing an Apprenticeship job with training.

The third York Apprenticeship Recruitment Event will look to match talented young people to apprentice vacancies across the city, with a focus on A level and Diploma students looking for an alternative career progression route to University.

A number of businesses have already signed up for the March event but there is still space to exhibit for free for businesses across the city to promote Apprenticeship vacancies. For more information or to book a space, contact Melody Hardcastle, the event organiser on 01904 553013 or email york.apprenticeships@york.gov.uk.

Businesses who want to grow by hiring an apprentice and don’t know where to start, can contact the Leeds City Region funded and Council-led York Apprenticeship Brokerage Service on 07943 593449 or email york.apprenticeships@york.gov.uk for more information.

Job seekers offered support to find work online in Acomb tomorrow (Wednesday)

This winter, Explore York Libraries and Archives, in partnership with York Learning, will be helping to give job seekers an advantage with two learning avenues.

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Explore York Libraries will be hosting two series of free workshops on job hunting online which will help job seekers understand how to search, find and apply for jobs online. One series will be hour-long online-based courses, and the other will offer longer, four-week employability sessions.

The hour-long Job Hunting Online workshops address the fact that more and more vacancies being posted online. Job seekers are welcome to attend up to two of these free workshops before March 2015, when they’ll discover the best ways to use search engines and online job resources to improve their chances of securing work.

These hour-long sessions will take place at Explore Clifton Library on Mondays at 2pm – 3pm (tel: 01904 552662) and Explore Acomb Library on Wednesdays at 10am – 11am (tel: 01904 552651). The sessions are running from now until the end of March 2015. To book a place, please call one of the libraries above – early booking is encouraged.
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Record number of part time jobs in York

With the numbers claiming job seekers allowance in the City at a low level, the York Council has admitted that the numbers in part time employment are at record high levels.

Numbers of York residents in part time employment

Numbers of York residents in part time employment

The proportion (33%) in part time jobs is higher that either the regional (26.3%) or nation (25.3%) averages.

To a degree the figure may reflect the transient nature of the tourism sector of the York economy while many students in the City do actively seek out part time employment and shared jobs.

Nevertheless there has been a significant shift in working profiles over the last 4 years.

The numbers in employment in the City are still fewer than in 2011 (contrary to the national trend) and  it will be 2020 before pre recession employment levels in the City are seen again

Challenged at the last Council meeting about the shortage in the social care sector the former Council Leader commented that,

“there is an ageing workforce, with expertise leaving the sector and increasing demand for services, all of which is putting pressure on the delivery of quality care services.

Looking at the shortage of key workers in social care is a focus for the transformation of adult social care which includes the following proposals:

  • for recruitment and retention of key workers in York and what the council could contribute/enable; and
  • for how CYC’s Workforce strategy could be amended to support the recruitment of key workers

 

This work is at a relatively early stage but will be progressed by the relevant Cabinet Members”

So it looks like things may get worse before they get better in the Social Care sector with job vacancies in other areas – such as construction and retail – also increasingly difficult to fill.

York sees further fall in number of jobseekers

Figures released today (17 December) by the Office for National Statistics have shown the number of people claiming Jobseekers Allowance (JSA) has fallen by 42.2 per cent since November 2013.

Liberal Democrats have welcomed today’s figures which means the number of claimants has fallen for the ninth consecutive month.

Figures released today by the Office for National Statistics (ONS) show that unemployment has fallen again nationally.

Click to enlarge

Click to enlarge

In the three months to October, unemployment fell by 63,000. The rate of unemployment stands at 6 per cent, its lowest level in 6 years.

There are 30.8m people in work and 1.7m new jobs have been created since Liberal Democrats entered government.

Locally the statistics show there to be 1,232 claimants in York, a decrease of 86 from last month. The claimant count represents 0.9 per cent of the working population contrasts to the regional average which stands at 2.7 per cent. The figures are also much lower than the national average which is currently 2 per cent.

Today’s figures mean there are 901 less claimants than in November 2013.

The ONS figures also showed youth unemployment levels decrease from 495 to 245 in the past year, a fall of 50.5 per cent since November 2013.

Commenting, Liberal Democrat Business Secretary Vince Cable said:

“Today we’ve had another remarkable set of labour market figures, which show that the strong performance of the labour market has been broad based.

“This has led to an almost record share of the UK working age population being in work. In addition we are now seeing rises in average pay growth above inflation, meaning annual real wage rises for many workers.

“However there is still more to be done. Although youth unemployment has fallen in the past year, it remains too high. That is why we will continue to encourage firms to invest in the UK and equip British workers with the skills they need to compete in the jobs market.”

Liberal Democrat Chief Secretary to the Treasury Danny Alexander said:

“Once again, we have a new record for the number of people in work, which is great news in the run up to Christmas.

“But more than that, today’s earnings figures show that the positive effects of our economic recovery are beginning to show in people’s wage packets.

“There’s a lot more work to do to secure the recovery and to ensure that trend continues. That’s why it’s so important to stick to the balanced plan that has secured the recovery in the next few years, and not allow a lurch away from common sense with Labour or the Tories.

“We have to keep the economy on the path of strong growth, rising employment, low inflation and rising wages so that more and more of the people who have worked so hard to turn the economy around feel the benefit.”

#strongereconomy

Borrow less than Labour cut less than Tories

Small Business Saturday Bus launches York campaign

York will see the  Small Business Saturday Bus  roll into the city on Tuesday 18 November to launch the city’s drive to encourage residents and visitors to show their support for local small businesses on Small Business Saturday, taking place on 6 December 2014.

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Small Business Saturday is about encouraging everyone in the UK to support small businesses with events and promotions being held on what is one of the busiest shopping days of the year.

The Small Business Saturday bus tour is promoting the campaign in advance to shoppers and also handing out vital promotional material to help businesses be involved on the day. The arrival of the bus offers an opportunity for small business owners to gain advice and tell the Small Business Saturday team and City of York Council’s York Means Business team what they are doing to celebrate Small Business Saturday. The bus will be located in St Helen’s Square from 11am until 3pm.

York will be celebrating Small Business Saturday itself by hosting a market celebrating York’s independent businesses. Located along Duncombe Place (outside York Minster) and organised by City of York Council and the Proudly™ initiative, itself  a collective of York’s independent businesses,the event will feature local businesses selling goods and sharing their unique stories.
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