Glasgows Miles Better on Jobs than Study Suggests

Glasgow’s Miles Better on Jobs than Study Suggests Glasgow’s Miles Better on Jobs than Study Suggests 21 Feb 2014 Glasgow City Council is contesting the results of a recent study that suggests the city fared poorly on jobs and employment during the recent recession, compared to other UK towns and cities. The Cities Outlook 2014 report by think-tank Centre for Cities says that between 2010 and 2012, Glasgow lost 18,200 jobs overall. It calculates that the city lost 7,800 private sector jobs and 5,400 jobs in the public sector. This put Glasgow in 62nd place among the 63 UK cities and towns studied. In contrast, Edinburgh was ranked second in the UK for job creation with 23,100 new posts in the private sector. A Glasgow City Council spokesperson commented: “We were surprised by the Cities Outlook 2014 report. We think Glasgow performed relatively well during the recession.”   He adds that, according to the council’s own calculations, Glasgow lost only 487 private sector job during the period in question.   Joanne Fletcher, Senior Consultant at Eden Scott, doesn't feel the Centre for Cities report tallies with her experience. “Obviously the recession kicked-in in 2008, but in 2010 it bottomed out, and since then there has been a steady increase in Glasgow jobs.” Since the start of the year, she says, things have really started to take off, “with candidates getting more than one offer, being able to pick and choose.” The Glasgow City Council spokesperson points to the thriving retail sector and the international financial services district that has brought almost 16,000 well-paid jobs to the city.   He says that with its better-balanced economy and less reliance on heavy industries such as shipbuilding than in the past, Glasgow is now better placed to absorb economic shocks. In a statement, Andrew Carter, deputy chief executive of Centre for Cities, tells Recruiter: “Cities Outlook uses the Business Register and Employment Survey (BRES), which looks at employment by workplace. No dataset is perfect but the reason we use BRES data is that it gives a more accurate and consistent picture of where the jobs are, rather than where employed people live. “The data shows that Glasgow lost jobs during the recession, but there looks set to be promising times ahead for the city.   The council is focused on making the most of the city centre, which is crucial for business.   “Supported by the role the city will play in hosting the Commonwealth Games, Glasgow shows real potential to unlock jobs and growth in the future.” Original article by Recruiter magazine