UK employment has grown positively in the first quarter of the year, according to multi-sector recruiter Adecco and business intelligence firm Mandis.

For January to March 2008, the jobs market saw a 40% increase on the same period in 2007.

The top performing sector was building and construction, with the creation of 28,371 jobs.

Rene Schuster, chief executive of Adecco Group UK and Ireland, said: “The increase in job creation by 40% compared to January to March in 2007 is encouraging to see. There is concern that the “credit crunch” will slow growth and impact employment trends but significant announcements such as that in the building and construction sector, show that despite the current concerns expansion and development is still happening. Regional development plans around the UK are impacting multiple sectors, including retail, support services and building and construction, and we hope to see the benefits continue as the year progresses.”
 
Philip Arnold, chief executive Mandis, commented: “Extending and improving upon on the overall positive position in the first quarter of March 2007, the quarter to March 2008 figures are very upbeat. These results confirm the trend towards the expansion of lower paying jobs in the economy in those business areas that cannot be outsourced overseas, but must be delivered by UK-based employees. Hence the overall growth of 40% is very encouraging and will generate significant new short-term taxation revenues for the Chancellor; although again any satisfaction must be tempered by the fact that there is a marked reduction in the creation of the new jobs in the higher paid roles.”