employment trends

Changes in employment patterns

Whether you plan to stay on at school, go to college or enter training/employment at the end of year 11, it is important that you understand the changes which are taking place in the 'labour market'.

These are just some of the changes which have taken place in the UK over the last few years:

• Numbers employed in our traditional industries such as manufacturing have fallen.
• The number of people employed in 'service' industries, such as retailing, hotels and catering and social care has risen sharply.
• The idea of staying in the same job for life is disappearing with people moving from job to job and learning new skills along the way.
• Employers now require people to be 'multi-skilled' and adaptable
• The number of part-time jobs has grown - in the future, many people will work in two or three part-time jobs, rather than one full-time.

Understanding how these changes have affected opportunities locally will help you in making the right choice for your career.