Vacancies are at a record high: Which sectors have the biggest gaps to fill?

Job vacancies in the UK have surged over the summer to an all-time high of over one million – and all industry sectors saw an increase, according to the Office for National Statistics (ONS).

But which sectors have the biggest gaps?

The ONS measures how many vacancies each had for every 100 employee jobs in the three months to August – and the average across all sectors is 3.4, itself a record.

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Job vacancies top one million

Figures also show which sectors have seen the biggest increases in openings over the period, including sharp rises for hospitality and transportation.

• Accommodation and food services: 5.9 vacancies per 100 employee jobs134,000 vacancies, up 75.4% on previous three months

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• Information and communication: 4.5 vacancies per 100 employee jobs58,000 vacancies, up 28.4% on previous three months

• Arts, entertainment and recreation: 4.3 vacancies per 100 employee jobs30,000 vacancies, up 54.1% on previous three months

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• Electricity, gas, steam and air conditioning: 4.2 vacancies per 100 employee jobs6,000 vacancies, up 1.8% on previous three months

• “Other” service activities (includes professional bodies, religious groups and political parties as well as hairdressers, computer repair, dry cleaning and funerals): 4.2 vacancies per 100 employee jobs26,000 vacancies, up 93.3% on previous three months

Image: Vacancies for accommodation and food service rose by 75.4%

• Health and social work: 4.1 vacancies per 100 employee jobs167,000 vacancies, up 16.8% on previous three months

• Professional scientific and technical activities: 3.7 vacancies per 100 employee jobs98,000 vacancies, up 28.2% on previous three months

• Finance and insurance: 3.5 vacancies per 100 employee jobs37,000 vacancies, up 21.2% on previous three months

• Water industry: 3.2 vacancies per 100 employee jobs6,000 vacancies, up 10.3% on previous three months

• Wholesale: 3.2 vacancies per 100 employee jobs37,000 vacancies, up 54.1% on previous three months

• Manufacturing: 3.1 vacancies per 100 employee jobs75,000 vacancies, up 30.6% on previous three months

• Transport and storage: 3.1 vacancies per 100 employee jobs47,000 vacancies, up 76.3% on previous three months

• Administrative and support services: 3 vacancies per 100 employee jobs75,000 vacancies, up 33% on previous three months

Image: Transport and storage vacancies rose by 76.3%

• Retail: 2.9 vacancies per 100 employee jobs83,000 vacancies, up 41% on previous three months

• Motor trades: 2.6 vacancies per 100 employee jobs14,000 vacancies, up 19% on previous three months

• Real estate: 2.6 vacancies per 100 employee jobs15,000 vacancies, up 7.4% on previous three months

• Construction: 2.4 vacancies per 100 employee jobs37,000 vacancies, up 12.3% on previous three months

• Mining and quarrying: 2.4 vacancies per 100 employee jobs1,000 vacancies, up 18.2% on previous three months

• Education: 2.2 vacancies per 100 employee jobs58,000 vacancies, up 29.8% on previous three months

• Public administration, defence, social security: 2.1 vacancies per 100 employee jobs29,000 vacancies, up 28.4% on previous three months