Latest news: Number of permanent jobs growing

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The outlook for job-seeking graduates appears brighter following the publiction of new research 09/05/2013

A report published by the Recruitment and Employment Confederation (REC) and KPMG states that the number of people placed in permanent roles increased for the seventh successive month in April.

Temporary positions have fallen, but this has been put down to the calendar rather than the economy, with many contracts expiring at the end of the financial year.

Partner and head of business services at KPMG Bernard Brown said, 'The latest figures hint at a positive turn with permanent placements accelerating, the rate of demand for permanent staff remaining solid and average starting salaries continuing to rise.'

Kevin Green, REC chief executive, said, 'Demand in the economy is returning, slowly but surely. Businesses are feeling more confident, hence the seventh consecutive month of permanent jobs growth and a full year of month-on-month rises in starting salaries.

'Highly skilled jobs like engineering and IT are still big growth areas, and the reports of shortages of people to fill sales vacancies show that companies are gearing up for increases in business investment and consumer spending.'

The monthly figures also highlighted regional variation, with the Midlands showing the strongest growth, followed by the South. London only managed a modest rise in permanent vacancies and the North was stagnant.