12 Aug 2024
An independent St Albans recruitment consultant of 17 years’ standing says she isn’t surprised by a new poll which puts the city in the top three places for job opportunities.
The study, conducted by HR software provider Ciphr, compared employment data for 100 of the UK’s most populated towns and cities to determine which locations offer the best potential for job opportunities and good salaries.
St Albans came in third place, after Winchester and Warrington, and was rated according to various factors, including average full-time earnings, the latest employment and unemployment figures, employment rate growth, and the number of businesses in the area.
Full-time workers living here typically earn £47,641 a year, according to the latest data from the Office for National Statistics (ONS), 36 per cent above the national UK average, and residents also enjoy higher levels of life satisfaction and personal happiness.
St Albans has 84 businesses – with over 10 employees – for every 10,000 local workers – that’s significantly higher than the UK average of 70.2 per 10,000.
But on the flip side, St Albans is one of the least competitive in terms of housing affordability,. Rental properties averaged £1,384 a month in 2023 – over a third (35%) of full-time pay, and according to Rightmove, properties sold for an average of £622,921 in the last year –13.1 times the average full-time worker’s earnings.
Louise Wynne, owner and founder of Red Door Recruitment in Chequer Street, said she wasn’t surprised by the study.
“This city has always been a great place to work and is teeming with small businesses as well as medium to large organisations.
“There’s an amazing energy here, gleaned from the success of companies and people who live here, coupled with a calendar full of local events. There is something here for everyone from music to sport, comedy to theatre, as well as excellent outdoor spaces.
“We are lucky enough to work with a diverse range of businesses across all sectors, providing permanent, temp and contract work.
“People come here to live as it is a brilliant commuter town for London and then, in order to spend more time here taking advantage of the outstanding facilities, they look for local work.
“The work-life balance has become very important, and as St Albans has so many out of work activities. it makes sense to consider a job close to home.”
