Salaries in the education sector increased by 5.8% in July compared to the previous year, suggesting that employers in the industry are continuing to push hard in a bid to attract the top talent.
The data from independent job site CV-Library, which analyses job market activity across different industries in the UK, revealed that the education sector was amongst a number of other areas which saw an increase in advertised salaries last month, signifying that many businesses are maintaining their recruitment efforts despite post-Brexit uncertainty.
The education industry saw strong salary growth, placing it in the top five sectors witnessing the highest increase in July:
- Retail – 8%
- Legal – 7.2%
- Accounting/Finance – 6.9%
- Education – 5.9%
- Property – 5.7%
When compared to June 2016 data (which saw a year-on-year decline in salaries by 0.4%), July’s 5.8% increase in salaries is strengthened even more, with other areas of growth being experienced in job creation (up 6.7%) and candidate application rates (up 2.3%). This suggests that despite economic uncertainty around the recent Brexit and severe skills shortages occurring in recent months, the education job market is still thriving, with candidate appetite increasing.
Lee Biggins, founder and managing director of CV-Library, comments: “The education sector has been plagued by skill shortages, and this continues to be an issue, so it’s encouraging to see that candidate application rates are up this month and that job hunters are becoming increasingly active. The rise in salaries is indicative of the hard work businesses are putting in, as they endeavour to offer candidates fair pay, especially in the face of post-Brexit uncertainty. While the education job market looks to be stabilising this month, organisations must continue to offer fair salaries and benefits in order to attract the most talented recruits.
“It is great, however, to see that the education sector hasn’t been hit with the summer slowdown that often impacts other industries across the UK, especially when you consider that we are currently at the beginning of the school summer holidays. The increase in candidate applications and job creation is good news for both job hunters and employers, and sends a strong message about the industry and its opportunities.”
