Employer hiring confidence ‘very high’

Employer hiring confidence in Northern Ireland is “very strong", according to research released today by Manpower, the UK's leading workforce management company.

The Manpower Employment Outlook Survey shows that the balance of employers forecasting to take on more staff in Northern Ireland is up 24% compared to a UK average of 15%. This represents a slight increase of four percentage points on the same period last year.

Alison McLeod, operations manager for Manpower in Northern Ireland said: "Many Northern Ireland employers are very confident about their long-term business plans and are looking to expand their workforces. This is great news for job seekers and employers alike.

"The call centre industry continues to be a major growth area for the Province with experienced staff very much in demand. This is particularly evident in Belfast, Bangor and Derry. There's a good range of roles and positions from customer service to telesales to administrative support. We're also seeing a particular demand for permanent members of staff in these areas."

The Manpower Employment Outlook Survey provides a forecast of employer hiring intentions for the quarter ahead: April to June 2005.

(MB/KMcA)