Looking back, 2016 was a strong year for the recruitment industry, despite it being a challenging time in the wider world. Forecasts for 2017 show that this is unlikely to be a one off; there is further predicted growth industry-wide in the year ahead.
An increase in UK environment and sustainability vacancies is predicted this year due to the relatively large number of major infrastructure projects emerging from the pipeline and edging towards delivery. With the HS2 rail project ramping up, major highway upgrades due and the ongoing development of London’s infrastructure and its built environment, the outlook for demand for the profession is extremely positive. So much so that Shirley Parsons is going through a rebrand, to Environment Works. It will support the increased demand for IEMA members and your skills. Exciting times ahead for us all!
After the fall out and continuing uncertainty over Brexit, prospects are also looking better than initial reports suggested when it comes to boosting numbers of environment and sustainability roles across the economy. Huge importance is now being placed on sustainability and environmental roles in companies and projects. I think this signals an encouraging level of new understanding and uptake of what the profession offers to businesses.
As a result of these factors, coupled with the growth of recruitment across all industries, we are anticipating a surge in the demand for practitioners and IEMA members specifically. This makes the start of the year the perfect time to start a job search.
Overall, there looks to be a very positive outlook for the recruitment industry. The months ahead will prove interesting as Brexit is triggered, but right now, the forecast looks bright.
