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

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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 jobs
134,000 vacancies, up 75.4% on previous three months

• Information and communication: 4.5 vacancies per 100 employee jobs
58,000 vacancies, up 28.4% on previous three months

• Arts, entertainment and recreation: 4.3 vacancies per 100 employee jobs
30,000 vacancies, up 54.1% on previous three months

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• Electricity, gas, steam and air conditioning: 4.2 vacancies per 100 employee jobs
6,000 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 jobs
26,000 vacancies, up 93.3% on previous three months

A waitress serves drinks at setup tables outside pubs in Soho, in London, on the day some of England's third coronavirus lockdown restrictions were eased by the British government, Monday, April 12, 2021. People across England flocked to shed shaggy locks and browse for clothes, books and other
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Vacancies for accommodation and food service rose by 75.4%

• Health and social work: 4.1 vacancies per 100 employee jobs
167,000 vacancies, up 16.8% on previous three months

• Professional scientific and technical activities: 3.7 vacancies per 100 employee jobs
98,000 vacancies, up 28.2% on previous three months

• Finance and insurance: 3.5 vacancies per 100 employee jobs
37,000 vacancies, up 21.2% on previous three months

• Water industry: 3.2 vacancies per 100 employee jobs
6,000 vacancies, up 10.3% on previous three months

• Wholesale: 3.2 vacancies per 100 employee jobs
37,000 vacancies, up 54.1% on previous three months

• Manufacturing: 3.1 vacancies per 100 employee jobs
75,000 vacancies, up 30.6% on previous three months

• Transport and storage: 3.1 vacancies per 100 employee jobs
47,000 vacancies, up 76.3% on previous three months

• Administrative and support services: 3 vacancies per 100 employee jobs
75,000 vacancies, up 33% on previous three months

The risk for supermarkets is high according to the Road Haulage Association
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Transport and storage vacancies rose by 76.3%

• Retail: 2.9 vacancies per 100 employee jobs
83,000 vacancies, up 41% on previous three months

• Motor trades: 2.6 vacancies per 100 employee jobs
14,000 vacancies, up 19% on previous three months

• Real estate: 2.6 vacancies per 100 employee jobs
15,000 vacancies, up 7.4% on previous three months

• Construction: 2.4 vacancies per 100 employee jobs
37,000 vacancies, up 12.3% on previous three months

• Mining and quarrying: 2.4 vacancies per 100 employee jobs
1,000 vacancies, up 18.2% on previous three months

• Education: 2.2 vacancies per 100 employee jobs
58,000 vacancies, up 29.8% on previous three months

• Public administration, defence, social security: 2.1 vacancies per 100 employee jobs
29,000 vacancies, up 28.4% on previous three months