Yorkshire businesses lead the charge in job creation

YORKSHIRE and Humber is the most likely region to be creating jobs over the next 12 months with 68% of companies stating new positions will be in the pipeline this year, suggests a new report.

The Barclays Job Creation Survey 2013, which questioned over 700 UK businesses has revealed that Yorkshire and Humber is also the region showing the most improvement in the UK – up from 54% in 2012, whereas London and the South East sees the biggest fall down to 54% from 70%.

In further positive news, the majority – 84% – of businesses in Yorkshire and Humber are not planning any job losses this year.

The research also revealed that nationally, 71% of mid-sized businesses are creating jobs this year, up on the previous year at 65%.

Nationally, 57% of all businesses state they do not want to hire ex-public sector workers, an impression that has remained constant over the past two years.

In Yorkshire and Humber, businesses are more open in this regard with 50% saying they aren’t interested, an improvement on the previous year, when 73% said that they were not interested.

Further optimism is demonstrated by Yorkshire and Humber in that it is the most likely region to say that the private sector will more than compensate, or balance out public sector job losses (43%).

Tony Walsh, managing director for Barclays Corporate Bank in the North, said: “It’s extremely positive to see that Yorkshire and Humber has come out on top as the region most likely to create new jobs this year.

“Businesses in the area are also more open to hiring ex-public sector workers, compared to last year, which is good news as the on-going rebalancing of the economy means many have to seek opportunities in the private sector.”