How are vacancies faring in the South amidst the ongoing skills shortage and the salary war? Which regions are experiencing the biggest uplifts? Which industries and firms have increased their hiring levels of these professionals? Download our new report to find out.
Written in partnership with APSCo, this report reviews recruitment trends for jobs in the Southern regions of England. It compares the annual and monthly totals trends, observes the regions where recruitment is rising, breaks down the performance by industries, and analyses the hiring activity of the top firms.
To discover more labour market insights and the trends that drove recruitment
across the South in the first half of 2022; download our report now!
North West – Regional Labour Market Trends, March 2026
The North West enters 2026 from a position of relative strength, following a 7.7% increase in vacancies in 2025. However, that growth was far from smooth. Hiring peaked in March, rising 19.2% month-on-month, before falling 16.0% by August. Despite these swings, overall demand remained resilient, with the region accounting for 55.1% of all northern vacancies.
AI & Data Focus – UK Tech Labour Market Trends, March 2026
The UK’s data and AI labour market reached record levels in 2025, with vacancies rising 18.4% year-on-year as businesses moved beyond pilot programmes and began integrating AI into core workflows at scale. Annualised 2026 figures point to a further 13.2% increase, with January and February already posting year-on-year growth of 20.0% and 31.7% respectively. If current trends continue, one in four jobs in the sector will have been created in the last two years, a pace of growth unmatched by virtually any other part of the UK economy.
Regulatory Affairs – UK Life Sciences Labour Market Trends, March 2026
Regulatory affairs hiring across UK life sciences contracted in 2025 as multinational pharmaceutical firms implemented widespread restructuring. London absorbed the majority of cuts, with vacancies falling by 29.3%, reflecting reductions concentrated at headquarters. Across the rest of the UK, hiring proved more resilient, declining by 7.7% while increasing its share of demand.
