Contractors – free up your diary for National Freelancers Day 2010
PCG has announced that National Freelancers Day 2010 is to be held on Tuesday 23rd November 2010. This year’s theme will be ‘freeing up potential’, focusing on the contracting lifestyle and the contribution contractors make to UK PLC. According to PCG Managing Director John Brazier: “The success of last year’s events underlined the growing importance of the freelance community to the economy of the UK. More and more people see freelancing as their ideal 21st century work choice.” More…
Demand for staff still increasing, say KPMG and REC
Contractors are still experiencing growth in demand and rates, albeit at a slower rate in May, according to the latest KPMG/REC Report on Jobs. Contractors also stand to benefit from the reduced availability of permanent candidates, as organisations are filling positions on a short-term contract or interim basis to meet immediate need. But REC Chief Executive Kevin Green warns that the situation could yet deteriorate: “…we remain concerned about the overall employment outlook as public sector recruitment freezes start to bite.” More…
IT contractors in demand north of the border
Scottish IT and computing workers are the category most in demand by organisations in Scotland, according to the Bank of Scotland’s Report on Jobs in May. Alongside the increased demand, rates have also increased. And although slower than in the previous month, demand for contractors is outpacing that for permanent workers. More…
CIPD forecasts nearly 3m unemployed by 2012
Mixed fortunes face contractors in the public sector as the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development predicts public sector jobs losses of up to 725,000 by 2012, bringing total unemployment close to 3m. Clearly contractors may well benefit by offering better-value alternatives to delivering public sector programmes; but many could have their contracts axed as entire government departments close down because of austerity measures and budget cuts. More…
World Cup proves an unlikely champion for flexible working
Recruiter IntaPeople suggests that this year’s World Cup is an ideal opportunity for firms to introduce flexible working to reduce the number of ‘sickies’ taken by workers staying home to watch games. ContractorCalculator CEO Dave Chaplin, himself a former City of London IT contractor, points out that firms employing contractors are unlikely to be hit, as contractors not only don’t get paid for the time off they take, but must also still meet their contracted deadlines. More…
BP’s plight has not dampened oil & gas optimism
Good news for offshore and oil & gas contractors: despite BP’s ongoing challenges in the USA, the latest Oil & Gas UK Index shows a clear increase in confidence across the UK’s oil and gas sector. This is the second quarterly increase this year. Although the index has not reached the heights seen three years ago, Oil & Gas UK’s supply chain director Brian Kinkead says the rise as encouraging: “…this continuous upward trend in business confidence, [which] is a clear indicator that our industry is emerging out of the recession with renewed drive, confidence and optimism. Overall, industry confidence is continuing to grow.” More…
Potential bonanza for offshore contractors
Separate reports by two influential non-governmental organisations highlight that the decommissioning of existing offshore oil and gas infrastructure, coupled with forecast growth in offshore renewables, could provide hundreds of thousands of new jobs and contract opportunities. The Offshore Valuation Group and Decom North Sea have identified many lucrative projects for contractors, including the dismantling over 470 offshore structures and the creation of offshore wind, wave and tidal installations. More…
Energy and renewables sector face skills shortages
In an interview published on PeopleManagement.co.uk, co-founder of recruiter Spencer Ogden David Spencer-Percival warns that the nuclear and green energy sectors face “a looming skills gap…which would only become more intense as future projects are announced.” As an example, he says: “We have not built a nuclear power station in this country for over 25 years, and we just do not have the skills.” Fortunately, contractors across many disciplines have an opportunity to plug that gap! More…