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Increasing staff vacancies add to evidence of a robust Scottish economy and are especially good news for Scottish workers
From Insider today:
‘Permanent staff demand in Scotland grows sharply. Royal Bank of Scotland Jobs for Scotland report discovers a rise in staff vacancies alongside a shrinking candidate supply. The sharp growth in permanent staff appointments continued in July, according to the latest Royal Bank of Scotland Jobs for Scotland report.’
A sharp increase in vacancies means business is confident and growing. This is also good news for the workers, for a change:
‘Amid rising staff vacancies and shrinking candidate supply, pay pressures intensified in July. Salaries awarded to permanent starters in Scotland increased at the fastest pace in six months, with inflation outpacing that seen for the UK overall. Meanwhile, temp pay rates in Scotland rose at the sharpest degree since April 2017.’
https://www.insider.co.uk/news/royal-bank-of-scotland-jobs-13044872
So, wages are growing faster in Scotland than in the non-Scottish parts of the UK. Other evidence of strength in the Scottish economy, has been noted here earlier:
63% fall in large business insolvencies as Scottish economy reveals strength
Scottish onshore economy grows by at least double the rate of UK
See this Douglas? Business investment in Scotland up 250%!
Scottish Business Strength No.77: Small Scottish construction firms’ growth up 17%
Scottish small businesses still more confident than those in non-Scottish parts
Business activity soars to four-year high across manufacturing and service
Business confidence in Scotland soars by 24% while it sinks 29% in non-Scottish parts of UK
Scottish Government supports economy with new business rates unique in UK
Scottish business confidence higher than in any other region of UK
Over to you, Douglas Fraser.
Talking-up Scotland 
There was a smidgin of a report on this on GMS today, but it was not given as much prominence as the oft repeated quote about women who wear the burqua from Mr Boris Johnson. This story was much repeated but the questioning was about what his intention was and if the allegations made against him were justified. There was some talk about ‘Islamophobia’ in the Conservative Party, but, essentially the timbre of the piece was that Mr Johnson has started a debate. Contrast that with the continual reporting of ‘antisemitism’ in the Labour Party and the presumption of some sort of guilt on Mr Corbyn’s part.
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Reblogged this on Ramblings of a 50+ Female.
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Hi John – one identified general driver of better pay and conditions is educational attainment and degree-level qualifications. Good, therefore, to note this info on news.gov.scot regarding SIMD 20 post-code areas University acceptance rate achieved – along with the record high of Scottish domiciled students getting a place at a Scottish Uni:
New record for third year in row as acceptance rate rises 5%
A record number of students from Scotland’s most disadvantaged areas have successfully gained a place at university according to UCAS statistics published this morning – the third year in a row a new record has been set.
The UCAS figures show the number of prospective students from the 20% most deprived areas – SIMD 20 – successfully getting a place at a UK university has risen by 5% to a new record level for all ages and by 9% for 18 year olds, taking the increase for 18 year olds to 21% since 2016. This comes alongside UCAS reporting a 3.1% fall in the total number of 18 year olds in the overall population of Scotland.
This year the total number of Scottish students getting a place at a Scottish university has also hit a new record high of 28,970, up 4%.
Background
In the last year:
• Scots domiciled acceptances to Scottish HEIs increased by 4% to 28,970.
• EU domiciled acceptances to Scottish HEIs decreased by 2% to 3,310.
• The total number of acceptances (all ages) from the 20% most deprived areas in Scotland to a UK HEI increased by 5% to 4,340.
• The number of 18 year olds accepted from the 20% most deprived areas in Scotland to a UK HEI increased by 9% to 1,270.
NOTE: The 2% drop in EU domiciled acceptances is another worrying (but entirely predictable) by-product of the Westminster brexit madness.
These improving social diversity figures are likely to improve still given the decision of Edinburgh Uni to give all of its ‘spare’ (clearing) places to SIMD 20 applicants: See snippet below from beeb Scotland site:
One of Scotland’s most prestigious universities will give all of its spare degree places to people from disadvantaged areas.
The University of Edinburgh is keen to meet a Scottish government objective to increase social diversity in the student population.
To help achieve that it will use this year’s clearing process to award places to those from deprived areas.
Clearing matches applicants to courses that have yet to be filled.
For the second year in a row, Edinburgh – which did not put any places at all for Scots into clearing before 2016 – has decided to use these spare places to help it achieve the government objective on increasing those who are socially disadvantaged.
Universities are expected to gradually increase the number of students from the most deprived areas of Scotland – so-called SIMD 20 postcode areas.
Slowly but surely the SNP Scottish Govt’s drive to reduce the identified and long-standing attainment gap is being maintained and achieved. The MSM and beeb might try and keep this good news a secret – but the truth will out.
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In its report on University Applications in January 2018 UCAS published analysis of applications over the past 12 years from all parts of the UK. They used the POLAR3 system of classification for assigning applications to advantaged/disadvantaged areas.
The results for Scotland showed that applications from 18 year-old students in the most disadvantaged areas had risen from 9.6% in 2006 to 17.8 % in 2018.
The ratio of applications from the most advantaged areas to the most disadvantaged areas was 4.5:1 In 2006 and by 2018 was 2.6:1. The narrowing of the gap was due to the increase in applications from the most deprived areas.
It is also worth pointing out, as the report does several times, that almost a third of university applications from 18-year olds in Scotland do not go through UCAS. But nevertheless the analysis shows that the gap is closing and initiatives in place for younger pupils and pre-school children as well as young people from a care environment will eventually work their way through the system and result in further narrowing of the gap.
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Reblogged this on seachranaidhe1.
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Absolutely fcuking splendid news re university acceptance rates from deprived areas in Scotland against the odds set by the BritNat wannabe unitary state (forgive my Franglais).
Well done the scholars, the dominies, and the unis.
The WM Auld Etonian clique and their Angloista ‘public school’ hingers-on may well be downloading abundant BritNat, Butcher’s Apron branded keech into their parochial, UK -conceptually – fabricated – entity trews.
I shall share this with international faculty across disciplines here in Japan plus undergraduate and postgraduate candidates.
Well done @GovScot @ScotGov and the worthy scholars involved and aspiring.
Scotland/Alba : “A Case Study in Liberation Education” to go viral, next?
Yours in the spirit of Socrates and Duns Scotus
Daibhidh O’Drymen agus Japan
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John, the Scot from Duns? I’m his 20th C incarnation at least in name. My late dad, hardcore presbyterian, didn’t tell me about him or visit the statue in the park! I guess he was a catholic. Dad, everybody was then!
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