THE Midlands has shown the healthiest job markets of anywhere in the country, according to the latest contract employment update from Venn Group.

The ongoing demand for professionals, particularly in the legal sector, has meant employment opportunities were up by 39% on quarter one. Annual figures point to an even stronger performance, with 46% more vacancies recorded in quarter two 2014 compared to the same period in 2013.

The ongoing demand for conveyancing locums has driven much of the growth in contractor recruitment, in part due to the booming commercial and residential property markets. That is mirrored by news that the Government has announced a £350 million investment programme that will see the redevelopment of the existing travel infrastructure in Birmingham and the construction of a number of new business parks.

Meanwhile, the Midlands housing market continues to strengthen, with reports suggesting that average house prices in the region could top £200,000 by the end of 2014, prompting demand for residential conveyancing locums.

Avtar Singh, Venn Group’s director of operations in the region, said: “The results are extremely positive for Birmingham and the region as a whole and highlight the impact increased investment is having on jobseekers.

"The legal sector is currently leading the way in terms of growth and both residential and commercial conveyancing locums have been highly sought after as a result of the buoyant house sales market and ongoing large-scale construction projects.

"A number of house builders have also reported strong profits and there are a lot of people who haven’t been able to buy for some time who are now very active in the market.

“Elsewhere, we’ve seen a strong uplift in demand for IT help desk specialists to help businesses who have upgraded their IT infrastructures.

"The financial sector has also been buoyant in quarter two, with many opportunities for contractors coming by way of the region’s profitable engineering and manufacturing companies, many of which are subject to mergers and acquisitions activity.”