THE NHS is by far Dorset's largest employer when it comes to the number of vacancies posted this year, it has been revealed.
Research by Dorset Local Enterprise Partnership puts the health service far ahead of the second largest advertiser of vacancies, BCP Council.
The information comes in the mid-year Labour Market Information Report from Dorset Local Enterprise Partnership (LEP), which also warns that Dorset is among the “most aged” areas in the UK, with “serious dependency and workforce issues”.
As previously reported, the study reveals there were a record 54,700 job vacancies in the county in the first half of this year, up 50 per cent on 2021.
The NHS accounted for 4,694 of those vacancies, while BCP Council advertised 781 and JP Morgan 513.
Bourne Leisure advertised 414 posts, Bournemouth University 368 and Holt Engineering 273 .
The other top employers included Colten Care (233 vacancies), Whitbread (226), Tesco (203), Dorset Council (186), Hall & Woodhouse (185), Vitality (180), Haven (179), Agincare (170) Care South (153) and the RNLI (148).
Dorset’s biggest employers by number of vacancies advertised in the first half of 2022:
National Health Service 4,694
BCP Council 781
JP Morgan 513
Bourne Leisure 414
Bournemouth University 368
Holt Engineering 273
Colten Care 233
Whitbread 226
Tesco 203
Dorset Council 186
Hall & Woodhosue 185
Vitality 180
Haven 179
Agincare Group 170
Care South 153
RNLI 148
Care UK 124
Co-Operative Group 113
Asda 112
Britannia Hotels 99
National Trust 97
“Carers and office assistants overtook nurses and software developers as jobs most in demand in Dorset, while customer service, chefs, cleaners and kitchen staff continue to be in demand over the first half of the year as the tourism and hospitality revival is further boosted by the favourable weather conditions,” the report said.
“Professionals such as project, account and financial managers, lawyers and accountants also remain highly sought after.”
The biggest growth in vacancies was in the care sector, where demand for labour has increased by more than 540 per cent in a decade.
The report says population growth in the BCP Council area has exceeded expectations, but in the Dorset Council area it has declined.
“With 30 per cent of residents in retirement age and fewer working age people, Dorset is among the most aged local authority areas in the UK with serious dependency and workforce issues deepening over time,” the report said.
The report also revealed the gap in productivity between Dorset and the national average was closing slightly.
Each hour worked in the county created an average of £33.14 in productive value in 2020, compared with £37.73 nationally.
The productivity gap for the county had narrowed from £3billion in 2019 to £2.5bn in 2020.
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