Key Points
A summary of the key points in quarter one (April-June) 2024/25 are
as follows -
There were 9,167 vacancies notified to Department for Communities, a decline of 2,273 (20%) from the previous quarter- the fourth quarter (January-March) of 2023/24, it should be noted seasonal factors can affect vacancy trends.
There were 5,690 full-time vacancies (62%), 3,189 part-time vacancies (35%) and 288 casual vacancies (3%).
The most frequently notified occupation types for vacancies were ‘Caring, Leisure and Other Service Occupations’ with 2,158 vacancies (24%), ‘Elementary Occupations’ with 1,372 vacancies (15%) and ‘Process, Plant and Machine Operatives’ with 1,270 vacancies (14%).
The industry type with the largest number of notified vacancies was ‘Administrative and Support Service’, accounting for 2,883 vacancies (31%), followed by ‘Other Services’ (2,396 vacancies, 26%) and ‘Human Health and Social Work’ (1,529 vacancies, 17%).
The Jobs and Benefits Offices (JBOs) with the largest numbers of vacancies were Shaftesbury Square with 821 (9%), Lisburn with 588 (6%), Antrim with 512 (6%), Ballymena with 491 (5%) and Foyle with 486 (5%).
29% of vacancies were in the most deprived 20% of areas in Northern Ireland.
Introduction
This statistical factsheet, which is published three times a year
(along with a more detailed annual
bulletin), presents key information on employment vacancies
which have been notified to the Department for Communities (DfC). The
information is taken from the Department’s vacancy management service
(JobApplyNI) which is a
free website developed by DfC that offers a service for organisations
advertising vacancies and for jobseekers searching and applying for
jobs.
The statistics presented here do not relate to the total
unsatisfied demand for staff by employers, but to only those vacant
positions that have been notified by employers to DfC.
Supplementary tables accompanying this publication are available on the
DfC
website.
Quarterly Statistics and Trends
Trend Data
Employment vacancies for quarter one 2024/25 saw a 20% decline from the previous quarter (quarter four 2023/24) and a 21% decline from quarter one 2023/24 (see notes section regarding commentary on factors impacting vacancy trends).
Vacancy Type
In quarter one 2024/25 some 62% of vacancies were full-time, while 35% related to part-time and 3% represented casual vacancies.
Figure 1: Notified Vacancies by Vacancy Type, Quarter One 2024/25
Occupation Type
The chart below (Figure 2) presents the Standard Occupational
Classification 2020 (SOC 2020), which is used to organise vacancies
notified to DfC into job groups according to skill level and skill
specialisation. Further information, including definitions relating to
the Standard Occupational Classification (2020) can be found via the
links in the notes section.
The most frequently notified occupation types for vacancies were
‘Caring, Leisure and Other Service Occupations’ with 2,158 vacancies
(24%), ‘Elementary Occupations’ with 1,372 vacancies (15%) and ‘Process,
Plant and Machine Operatives’ with 1,270 vacancies (14%).
Figure 2: Notified Vacancies by SOC (2020) Group Titles, Quarter One 2024/25
Caring, Leisure and Other Service Occupations covers occupations whose tasks involve the provision of a service to customers, whether in a public protective or personal care capacity. (e.g. care of sick, elderly and infirm; care of children, personal care).
Industry Type
The Standard Industrial Classification 2007 (SIC 2007) is used to
organise vacancies notified to DfC by the type of economic activity in
which they are engaged into 21 categories. Vacancies are assigned the
SIC 2007 code of the employer that notified them. Further information,
including definitions, relating to the SIC 2007 can be found via the
links in the notes section.
The industry type with the largest number of notified vacancies was
‘Administrative and Support Service’, accounting for 2,883 vacancies
(31%), followed by ‘Other Services’ (2,396 vacancies, 26%) and ‘Human
Health and Social Work’ (1,529 vacancies, 17%).
The top 5 industrial classifications make up 85% (7,796) of the total number of vacancies notified in this quarter.
Figure 3: Notified Vacancies by SIC (2007) Section (Top 5), Quarter One 2024/25
Administrative and Support Service Activities includes a variety of
activities that support general business such as reception, financial
planning, billing and record keeping.
Jobs and Benefits Office
The map below (Figure 4) presents vacancies assigned to Jobs and Benefits Offices (JBOs). The purpose is not to rank JBOs by the number of notified vacancies, but rather to gain an understanding of the spread of notified vacancies at a local level.
Figure 4: Notified Vacancies by Jobs and Benefits Office, Quarter One 2024/25
In the first quarter of the 2024/25 financial year the JBOs with the largest numbers of vacancies were Shaftesbury Square with 821 (9%), Lisburn with 588 (6%), Antrim with 512 (6%), Ballymena with 491 (5%) and Foyle with 486 (5%).
Deprivation
The NI Deprivation Measure (2017) divides Northern Ireland into 890
super output areas. Each area is assigned a rank according to its level
of deprivation, 1 being the most deprived and 890 the least. Further
information on the Deprivation Measures can be found in the notes
section.
In the first quarter of the 2024/25 financial year 29% of vacancies were listed in the 20% most deprived areas while 18% of vacancies were located in the 20% least deprived areas.
Figure 5: Notified Vacancies by NIMDM, Quarter One 2024/25
Notes
Background
This publication presents statistics on employment vacancies notified
to Department for Communities (DfC) in quarter one 2024/25 (April-June).
The information is taken from the department’s vacancy service JobApplyNI which went live
on 31 March 2022, replacing the previous vacancy service and websites.
JobApplyNI is a free website developed by DfC which offers a service for
organisations advertising vacancies and for jobseekers searching and
applying for jobs.
The previous legacy vacancy management system used the Client
Management System (CMS) and two associated websites (Employers Online
website and Jobseekers Online website). The time series from the
previous system ran from 2014/15 to 2021/22 incorporating improvements
which were made to the methodology for recording and validating vacancy
data from 2013 onwards. The introduction of JobApplyNI has led to
further efficiencies in notifying vacancy statistics.
JobApplyNI allows for more enhanced systematic validations
(e.g. identification of rejected vacancies) and allows for presentation
of updated SOC (2020) codes and as such caution should be exercised when
comparing data from 2022/23 onwards with that from previous
years.
Coverage
The relevant data are extracted from the JobApplyNI system each month
to form a vacancies database which is maintained by the Department’s
Analytics Division. The data presented in this statistical report are
derived from the vacancies database. Ongoing validation work and changes
made to this live database may result in data revisions. These revisions
are performed transparently, as soon as practicable and in accordance
with T3.9 of the UK Statistics
Authority Code of Practice for Statistics.
This factsheet presents vacancies notified to DfC. The statistics
presented do not relate to total unsatisfied demand for staff by
employers, only those vacant positions notified by employers to the
Department.
Trends
The Office for National Statistics (ONS) produces monthly analysis of
vacancy
statistics but NI companies are not approached because of the
risk of overlap with other surveys conducted by NI Departments.
Estimates for the UK are derived by weighing up the data for Great
Britain using employment estimates (NI accounts for around 3% of UK
employment). Labour market conditions impact vacancy trends, for
example, the 2021/22 financial year saw record number of UK vacancies
with the economy recovering from the impact of the pandemic but there
have been 24 successive monthly declines in vacancy numbers, as reported
in July 2024. Seasonal factors can also impact vacancy figures in-year
e.g. September would traditionally see higher levels of vacancies as
employers recruit in preparation for the festive season with December
vacancies relatively lower in comparison.
Methodology and Definitions
Official Statistics
Our statistical practice is regulated by the Office for Statistics
Regulation (OSR).
OSR sets the standards of trustworthiness,
quality and value in the Code of
Practice for Statistics that all producers of official statistics
should adhere to.
You are welcome to contact us directly with
any comments about how we meet these standards. Alternatively, you can
contact OSR by emailing regulation@statistics.gov.uk or via the OSR
website.
UK Standard Occupational Classification 2020 (SOC 2020):
DfC assigns each vacancy the SOC 2020 code which best reflects the
main duties of the post. Vacancies are broken down by the nine SOC 2020
Major Group levels. Examples and information can be found in the SOC
2020 Volume 1: structure and descriptions of unit groups - Office for
National Statistics.
UK Standard Industrial Classification of Economic Activities 2007 (SIC 2007):
Employers are assigned the SIC 2007 code which best reflects their
dominant activity by DfC. All vacancies are assigned the SIC 2007 code
of the notifying employer. Vacancies are broken down by SIC 2007 section
level. Information about SIC 2007 is available in the UK
Standard Industrial Classification of Economic Activities 2007 (SIC
2007): Structure and Explanatory Notes.
Northern Ireland Multiple Deprivation Measure 2017 (NIMDM 2017)
The NIMDM 2017 is the official measure of deprivation in Northern Ireland and provides a relative measure of deprivation for geographical areas. NIMDM 2017 gives an overall measure of seven types of deprivation:
- Income Deprivation
- Employment Deprivation
- Health Deprivation & Disability
- Education, Skills & Training Deprivation
- Access to Services
- Living Environment
- Crime & Disorder
Northern Ireland’s 890 Super Output Areas (SOA) are ranked in terms of deprivation level, which in turn, are grouped into five equal bands known as quintiles. Vacancy statistics are presented by these quintile bands: ranks 1-178 (most deprived), ranks 179-356, ranks 357-534, ranks 535-712 and ranks 713-890 (least deprived). Northern Ireland Multiple Deprivation Measure ranks are based on the Super Output Area (SOA) classification of the vacancy. SOA classifications are assigned to vacancies using the latest Central Postcode Directory based on the postcode of the employer’s account. When a valid employer’s account postcode is not available, the postcode of the vacancy is used. Although an employer’s account is within a particular SOA, the job may be based elsewhere in Northern Ireland, in the UK or in the Republic of Ireland.