Jobs in business and education will grow over the next decade despite the current economic downturn, a report claims.
Working Futures, published by the independent employer body UK Commission for Employment and Skills (UKCES), predicts employment growth in business, education, distribution and transport will remain solid over the long term to 2017.
Jobs growth will be particularly strong in areas like computing and financial services, with as many as 1.3 million positions created over the next eight years.
Skills secretary John Denham welcomed the report.
“In the short term we are making sure that people who lose their jobs have access to the real help they need,” said Denham.
“But we must not lose sight of the future needs of our economy and do all we can to help people get the secure career jobs they want and need in the industries where growth will be the strongest in the coming years,” he said.
Secretary of state for work and pensions James Purnell said the government would spend £500m to minimise the number of long-term unemployed.
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“We are investing to give people real help to get back to work today, as there are still over half a million jobs available which employers are trying to fill,” said Purnell.
“We are also making reforms to the welfare system to ensure that people have the skills they need to fill the jobs of tomorrow,” he said.
