Purple Squirrel is today pleased to announce, that we have been awarded a major supply contract to promote UK Engineers for Saudi Arabia Expat contracts. This is exciting news for Job seekers in the UK Industrial, Construction and Energy sectors looking for long-term, good quality contracts abroad.

In total we have over 200 Vacancies to fill, all working for a major Corporation. The list of requirements is extensive covering disciplines at 4 career grade levels from Manager (in charge of a site) to Hands-on. Majority of roles require graduate level engineering degree qualifications ranging from minimum 5 years work experience to 20+ years.

Materials – Architects – Civil Engineers – Electrical Engineers – Mechanical Engineers – Piping – Construction – E&I – Instrumentation – Superintendants – Process – Turbines – DCS – Safety – Communications – Schedulers – Contracts Adviser – Welding – NDT – Technicians – Photogrammetry – Project Management – Turbine PM – IT – Planning – Cartograper – Surveyors – Cost Engineers – HR/Training

The packages on offer will be specific to each position and career grade. Will include allowances for accommodation, flights, life assurance, medical cover and car.

To view the complete list of engineering job openings, please see the Purple Squirrel website or JustEngineers or email with covering letter to jobs@purple-squirrel.co.uk stating the reference number.

Closing Date for Applications: 8th July 2011

Purple Squirrel Limited acts as an Employment Agency with regard to permanent vacancies and an Employment Business with regard to temporary assignments.

Popularity: 4% [?]

Engineer at Rest

Sunshine, time away from the workplace and rest. These would appear to be motivating ingredients for our UK Labour Market. Purple Squirrel has noticed a four-fold increase in  active engineering and technical Job Seekers this week. Everyone has returned fresh and re-motivated for job hunting since the May Bank Holiday weekend. This can only be good news for the Employers who are hiring now and seeking to choose the best talent available for their project teams.

Whilst UK unemployment is holding at a relatively unchanged level since pre-recession days, future prospects are still relatively difficult to read. A report out today by The Work Foundation shows continued importance to the UK economy of the Services sector. Engineering and technical services play a central role along with IT, providing the professional and technological support that businesses depend on for innovation and growth.

Purple Squirrel’s advice to active job hunters is therefore to pay particular attention to your main sales tool – your CV and cover letter. Hiring Managers want to hire people who are achievers and for the most part having evidence that you can already do their job.

Popularity: 7% [?]

UK employers remain cautious about their hiring plans in the last months of the year with more than eight out of 10 intending to keep staffing levels the same. The growing caution is reflected in overall hiring plans being the weakest in nearly 10 years (since Q1 1999) and the weakest Q4 result since 1992.

Employers have faced difficult times since the credit crunch, rising fuel prices and wider economic and confidence worries really took effect last year. Automotive industry had it’s worst August for new registrations since 1966. Automotive production output is being scaled back. This uncertainty is being reflected by new recruitment plans being put on hold and with slightly more employers now looking to reduce their staffing numbers than add to them.

Many employers anticipated these more challenging conditions and have taken steps to ensure their businesses are as robust as possible. Employers have also focused on training and improving workforce productivity. Even as we see redundancies in the labour market, the majority of employers want to avoid reducing their workforce. This should allow them to benefit from any pick-up in the economy.

It is not clear how long the current business climate will last. In the current conditions, it is not surprising that many businesses are not predicting any increase in hiring and are using temporary and contract workers to meet short-term demands.

Popularity: 84% [?]