Number of hospitality job vacancies hits 174,000

The number of job vacancies in the hospitality sector reached 174,000 between March and May this year, according to data from the Office for National Statistics (ONS).

There were 8,000 more empty job roles than during the previous quarter, indicating that the industry’s recruitment crisis has worsened in the first six months of the year.

The total number of unfilled jobs across all areas of the economy rose to a new record of 1.3m, an increase of 20,000, during the last quarter.

ONS data showed there are 83% more vacancies across the accommodation and foodservices sectors than during March to May 2019, the most recent comparable period.

UKHospitality said the sector has created nearly 300,000 new jobs over the last year but that economic recovery was being ‘thwarted’ by a shortage of staff.

Earlier this month the trade body launched its workforce strategy, with plans to work with colleges and universities to attract students into jobs this summer but warned more government support was needed on immigration and apprenticeships.

UKHospitality chief executive Kate Nicholls said: “The points-based system needs to be tweaked to make it easier for seasonal and lower skilled workers to enter the workforce and the apprenticeship levy should be freed-up to help us attract the workforce we need to recover and grow.”

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