Jobseeking ratio in West Midlands worst in UK
Jun 17 2009 by Jonathan Walker, Birmingham Post
There are 11 official “jobseekers” for every vacancy advertised at jobcentres in the West Midlands, according to an analysis by Conservatives.
As the Government prepares to publish the latest unemployment figures today, Tories accused Ministers of doing too little to help the unemployed get back to work.
A study of official figures shows that manufacturing and construction workers have been hardest hit by the recession, with hundreds of people chasing one job.
By contrast, there is still a shortage of labour in health care and social work, with more vacancies existing than jobseekers.
The West Midlands even has 155 directors and chief executives of major corporations looking for work – but only one vacancy.
The analysis of professions with the greatest unemployment problem is possible because everyone who applies for Jobseekers Allowance is asked to name their primary occupation.
Latest official figures show that 1,105 people who described their occupation as plasterers were looking for work in the West Midlands – but only two vacancies were listed at Jobcentre Plus, the official job centres.
The figures do not include vacancies which are advertised only at private job centres or through other means.
There were also 2,100 people who listed their occupation as “metal working machine operatives”, but ony five jobs for people in this field.
And 1,420 people listed their profession as bricklayers or masons but again only five jobs were available for them.
Nationally the average number of jobseekers chasing each vacancy advertised by Jobcentre Plus has risen from two jobseekers for each vacancy last October up to seven people chasing every job in April. But in the West Midlands, which has been hardest hit by falling vacancies and rising unemployment, there are 11 jobseekers for each vacancy advertised at Jobcentre Plus.
Today’s unemployment figures are expected to bring more bad news for the region.
Last month it emerged that unemployment in the West Midlands had climbed to almost a quarter of a million as the region continued to suffer more than the rest of the UK from the effects of the recession.
The number out of work rose by 42,000 over three months, to reach 246,000 people, and for the second month running the West Midlands had the worst unemployment rate in the UK, with 9.3 per cent of the workforce on the dole.
Shadow Secretary of State for Work and Pensions Theresa May said: “It is essential that jobseekers in the West Midlands get as much information as possible on what jobs are available in their area and support if they need to retrain in a different industry or sector. Labour need to relax the rules on Jobseekers Allowance to help people retrain immediately instead of having to wait up to six months as they do now.”
Labour’s Employment Minister, Jim Knight MP, said: “The Tories should get serious about unemployment and stop opposing our extra £5 billion investment to expand Job Centre plus, provide extra training and guarantee jobs for young people in Birmingham and across the West Midlands.”
