Jersey’s employment market is showing excellent signs of growth across all local sectors, says Gina Le Prevost, CEO of AP Group, a leading global recruitment firm with three specialist divisions in Jersey – AP Personnel, AP Executive and AP Technical.
This comes in response to the warnings that the island’s finance sector faces an uncertain future following Brexit.
“We are delighted to report that currently the supply and demand for jobs created by clients since the beginning of 2016 far exceeds the previous years’ figures. It is the best competitive job market I have seen in a long while in Jersey – and is increasing rather than decreasing,” says Gina.
For example in the past six months, local clients have approached AP Personnel (specialist junior to mid-management level finance and commercial recruitment division) to assist them with a number of junior level roles suitable for graduates and school leavers, whilst offering financial support to new recruits with regards to professional training.
“Junior level roles have always been very difficult to find for school leavers since the 2008 downturn; it is very encouraging that this year local companies have shown the confidence to employ and train new staff once again. The signs are very clear to us - the island currently has more jobs to fill than the available talent in Jersey, particularly for roles which require candidates with 5 years or more experience such as mid-level administration and accounting functions.”
However, she adds, the local government needs to entice non-locals and professionally qualified workers to fill some of the vacancies in areas where there is a skill shortage, particularly qualified accountants, lawyers and funds/trust professionals.
“It is important that the local companies are granted enough essential work licences, if required, so that Jersey continues to remain a competitive global jurisdiction,” says Gin