Hull tops the league for jobs and salary growth
Hull's labour market has not only withstood the recent Brexit, but also the dreaded "summer slowdown", according to new data from one of the UK's largest online job sites.
An increase in jobs, salaries and candidate applications across the city last month have been revealed by CV-Library.
The job site compared data from last month with August last year and found that Hull was the top city for job growth, at 26 per cent, outpacing the national average of 21.8 per cent. Edinburgh was second for growth at 17 per cent, and Liverpool was third, at 9.5 per cent.
According to the data, candidate applications in Hull also rose by 8.7 per cent, compared with the previous year, which was above the national average of 5 per cent, suggesting that job hunter appetite during this period was also strong.
Lee Biggins, founder and managing director of CV-Library, said: "It's extremely positive to see that Hull's labour market did not fall victim to the typical 'summer slowdown' this year, especially given that there is still a great amount of uncertainty around the impact of the Brexit on jobs.
"Our data tells us that Hull is one of the key cities in the UK which is thriving and it's clear that employers in the area have recognised the need to tap into candidates who might have used time off during the summer months to think about, and look for, new opportunities."
Gill Dillon, employer and partnership manager at Hull Jobcentre Plus, said: "It is great to hear of positive information about Hull at this time. We have seen more people in jobs and more vacancies advertised.
"It does feel as though we are seeing more and more people getting into work and this is echoed by the fact we will be holding jobs fairs in our Jobcentres in September to help employers fill some seasonal vacancies we are aware of.
"We know there are jobs out there and these fairs will provide an opportunity to bring employers and job seekers together."
The CV-Library data also revealed wages in Hull had sky rocketed above the national average (4.7 per cent) last month, with the city coming top of the table for salary growth last month.
Hull recorded a 21.3 per cent increase, closely followed by Exeter with a 20.4 per cent increase. The next nearest in the list was Inverness with an increase of 9.2 per cent.
Mr Biggins said: "In the face of the nation's economic woes, the fact that salaries in Hull are up is simply testament to local businesses' determination to keep the economy moving post-Brexit, while also recognising the need to attract candidates with competitive salaries.
"Despite ongoing uncertainty, it's clear that Hull's labour market is continuing to thrive, topping the lists for both job growth and salary increase in August.
"Businesses and candidates alike should be confident in the fact that the job market is growing, salaries are increasing and application rates are remaining strong."