THE LOCAL economy is going from strength to strength, with new job opportunities springing up.
Despite the coronavirus pandemic, there are more than 3,300 job vacancies in Wokingham borough right now – and there are over 40,000 across the whole of Berkshire.
This is according to online jobs portal Berkshire Opportunities, which aims to help people access vacancies and training.
It says that job opportunities plummeted between March and June last year, but rose steadily afterwards.
And Berkshire has the highest job density of all the Home Counties, with more than nine positions available for every working age adult.
Dom Unsworth, board director at Thames Valley Berkshire LEP, said: “We are fortunate that Berkshire’s economy has remained strong, with key industries such as technology and health and social care continuing to thrive and offer attractive career opportunities for job seekers.”
According to Berkshire Opportunities’ latest statistics, demand for information technology and telecommunications professionals in Berkshire has risen by 12% in the past year.
Careers in health and social care are also thriving, with nursing vacancies rising by more than 41% between December 2019 and 2020.
Claire Wardle, from Health Education England (South East), says the NHS has been “the hero” of the coronavirus pandemic and more people than ever are interested in joining healthcare.
“Lots of people think you need previous healthcare experience or qualifications to secure a health-care role, but you don’t,” she said. “We primarily look for people who embody the values of the NHS and show they have transferable skills.”
Mrs Unsworth says that some sectors, including hospitality and retail, have been hit hard by the coronavirus pandemic and workers now face a “precarious” future.
“My message to those affected by redundancy, closure or furlough is to take action now to access the support you need to put your best foot forward,” he said.
“With support and training it is possible to pivot to another career, in an industry where your experience and transferable skills are desperately needed.”
