Number of Workers at all-time High

Here in the U.K., employment rates are currently at an all-time high. The latest figures show that more people than ever are finding jobs, which is definitely good news for the economy here. Not only that, but wages are holding steady for most positions as well. Although more people than ever are working, efforts to create even more jobs are nonetheless continuing.

Employment by the Numbers

Recent figures show that the number of people who are currently working has reached an all-time high number of 30 million. In addition, the jobless number for the three-month period that ended in August showed that 18,000 fewer people were out of work than in the prior quarter. During this time, the biggest monthly drop in jobseeker allowance claims in 16 years was recorded as well. In all, the claimant count has dropped for 11 consecutive months, and is expected to continue decreasing for some time. In all, there were over 155,000 new jobs reported in this quarter, which was the largest number ever recorded.

Economically Inactive

Economically inactive people are those who are not seeking a job for one reason or another. From June to August, this number fell exponentially, being reduced by more than 83,000 people. At the same time, job vacancies also took a sharp turn upwards, increasing by more than 6,000 to a five-year high of 541,000. Experts are citing the high number of available jobs as being the reason for economically inactive people seeking to enter the workforce again.

Part Time vs. Full Time

The latest employment rates show the job market has been especially kind to women. During the period in question, the number of full-time female workers increased by 79,000. At the same time, the number of women who were working part time fell by more than 13,000. What this indicates is that more women are now being offered full time positions rather than being forced to accept part time jobs. Men did almost as well, with 69,000 more males obtaining full time employment between June and August 2013.

Reaction from Government Official

It wasn’t long after these employment rates were released before Employment Minister Esther McVey began speaking out about them. In reacting to the latest statistics, McVey said, “Today’s figures show a rise in employment of more than a million under this government, and they show that there are now more people in work than ever before.”That’s a really positive sign of growth in the UK economy, and a credit to British businesses for creating those jobs.” She claimed that while employment rates had definitely increased, there was no plan to cease efforts to create even more job opportunities anytime soon.

The fact that employment rates are higher than ever is good news for everyone, especially recent college graduates. While the latest numbers show significant progress, efforts to maintain high levels of employment must continue in order to ensure that there are plenty of opportunities for future generations of Britains as well.