Applications to engineering jobs drop by 9.9% in August, despite more roles being advertised
Published: 04 September, 2020
According to the latest job market data from a leading UK independent job board, CV-Library reveals that applications to engineering jobs fell by 9.9% in August, despite the amount of jobs being advertised increasing by a steady 2.8% month-on-month.
The job board analysed data from its site throughout the month of August and compared the findings with data from August 2019 and July 2020, to build an understanding of how the UK job market is fairing right now.
The findings show that job numbers are still significantly lower than in 2019; with engineering roles dropping by a staggering 51.5% year-on-year. However, the amount of job applications made to engineering roles in August was 25.8% higher than it was a year ago; with the application to job ratio increasing by 159.1% year-on-year.
Lee Biggins, founder and CEO of CV-Library comments: “It’s surprising that applications have dropped so significantly; especially given that the government’s Job Retention Scheme is coming to an end in a matter of weeks now. However, it's important to remember that August is typically a slower month for hiring – even during a pandemic. It’s vital that employers don’t lose faith in the job market. While applications have dropped on the previous month, businesses should continue with their hiring efforts throughout September, and we should see some improvement in the coming weeks.”
Alongside this, the findings show that average salaries for new engineering roles have risen by a promising 5.9% year-on-year, and by 0.7% month-on-month. This is despite salaries dropping by 1.5% across the UK month-on-month.
Biggins continues: “Whatever people’s age or circumstance, September tends to come with a ‘back to school’ feeling, where many job seekers will refocus their efforts on finding a new role. If you’re hiring this month, you can expect to see application figures jump back up; especially if you’re able to offer higher pay, which is a rarity in the current market.”
