The job economy in Scotland has been booming since last year, bringing in record high numbers when it comes to the rates at which Scottish citizens are employed. Statistics now show that 1,910,600 residents are employed in full-time positions. This demographic includes any full-time employee that is over the age of 16, which illustrates that even younger generations are finding more full-time positions. Approximately 84,700 of these employed citizens are over the age of 65. This number has actually doubled in comparison to the employment rates of those over 65 in the past decade. The overall rate of unemployment sits at just 4.1%, which is a dramatic difference when looking at the same statistics from previous years.
Another great aspect of this increase in employment is how more and more people in Scotland are becoming entrepreneurs and starting their own businesses. The recent study showed that 322,900 individuals were self-employed and running their own businesses. The research also indicated a large number of women who are now running their own businesses and becoming their own bosses. This reflects not only a step in the right direction in terms of the current job economy, but also in terms of women being able to take more higher-up positions than ever before.
Unfortunately, one area in which Scotland did not thrive in the job economy recently, is their lack of positions available to those who are disabled. Research has shown that only 45.4% of disabled individuals were employed at the time of the study. The employment rate among minorities is also seemingly low when compared to research conducted during the previous years. Although this is quite disheartening to discover, the Scottish government has made it a priority to ensure that resources and increased support systems are put into place in order to help these groups find future employment.
This 2017 research is exceedingly promising for Scotland’s future economy, and residents are quite enthusiastic about the recent rise in overall employment levels. Even in the areas in which the levels are lacking, the government has shown deep concern and dedication into remedying said situations. The eagerness and commitment that both Scottish citizens and officials show is a direct indicator of how much the Scottish job market will continue to thrive and excel in the future.