The recent boom in hiring confidence from employers in the financial services sector looks set to continue, according to a survey by Manpower.

It found that utilities employers are also notably optimistic, while manufacturing employers expect to be more restrained in the first quarter.

The report reveals that confidence among employers in the High Street is to strengthen in late 2006, whilst employers in the hotels and restaurants sub-sector are to scale back on numbers in the New Year.

At a regional level, employers in the North-East and Scotland are the most confident. Employers in Northern Ireland, the South-East and the South-West all report figures above the national average. 

Employers in the East Midlands, Wales, West Midlands and Yorkshire & Humberside are the least confident of those surveyed. 

Mark Cahill, managing director of Manpower UK, says: “Employers across all regions of the UK and almost all industry sectors are optimistic about their hiring plans for the start of the year which is great news for a healthy start to 2007.  This of course brings the challenge of being able to recruit quality staff.  The UK has particular shortages of skills in a diverse range of industries such as sales, driving and skilled trades which makes recruitment a challenge for many companies.  This trend shows no real signs of abating.”