The UK's vehicle production sector has been handed a timely boost by news contained within the chancellor's latest Budget.

George Osborne set out his financial plan for the country yesterday (March 19th) and the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT) believes he has delivered a set of measures that will support manufacturing throughout the country over the coming months and years.

What's more, the organisation said Mr Osborne has acted to encourage both investment in the sector and a rise in exports to international markets.

Mike Hawes, chief executive at the SMMT, said the focus on investment, exports and skills, not to mention steps designed to reduce the energy costs associated with vehicle production, has been welcomed by those within the motor industry.

"Extending and doubling the Annual Investment Allowance and improving export finance are important signals to encourage the UK's manufacturing base, helping trigger greater business investment and enhancing our export capability.

"In line with welcome reductions in energy costs, we ask government to look at business rates to ensure the system works for manufacturing and maintains our global competitiveness."

Mr Hawes went on to explain the SMMT is delighted with  measures that have incentivised the production of ultra-low emission vehicles, thanks to the new company car tax scheme.

Exporting is undoubtedly crucial to the UK motor market, with around 80 per cent of the models produced in Britain shipped to other countries. These allow the UK to remain a hub of innovation and manufacturing.

R&D tax credits will also go some way towards helping companies, particularly small and medium-sized enterprises.

Plans to double the Annual Investment Allowance to £500,000 and extend it to 2015 will also persuade firms to spend more on their plants and machinery.

With things seemingly looking up for the UK's motor industry, it may be time for many of the sector's largest names to take on new staff in automotive jobs to ensure they are ready to meet demand in the years to come.

For information on automotive jobs and how we can help with finding candidates positions & clients candidates, contact Unity Recruitment today.

There may never have been a better time for workers to seek out new opportunities within the automotive sector, in particular those related to the design and production of new vehicles.

It is widely known that the UK's car manufacturing market was one of the hardest hit in the aftermath of the recession arriving in 2007 and 2008, with a significant decline in orders and production levels recorded.

But it now seems that this trend has been reversed and the industry is ready to grow and achieve unprecedented levels of success.

Figures released by the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT) earlier this year showed there were 2,264,737 new cars registered in Britain last year, which was 10.8 per cent higher than in 2012.

What's more, the SMMT's own target for 2013 was for 2.25 million new cars to be manufactured in the country, so this figure was smashed in reality, underlining just how strong the sector appears to be right now.

2013 also witnessed the highest number of new registrations in a single year since 2007, with December achieving the 22nd consecutive monthly rise. It is clear that all of the major brands in the market can now feel confident about increasing production levels at their UK bases.

Every single day last year, there were an additional 600 new cars registered with the authorities than there were in 2012, helping Britain to establish its position as the second largest new car market in Europe.

In addition, it was the only one to record growth in 2013, making it arguably the most desirable to work in right now. Looking ahead, the sector is predicted by the SMMT to stabilise this year, achieving a sustainable level of growth of one per cent over the 12 months in question.

Mike Hawes, chief executive of the SMMT, said: "While the European market is only now showing signs of improvement, the UK has consistently outperformed the rest of Europe with 22 consecutive months of growth.

"The 10.8 per cent increase in 2013 reflects the attractive financial offers available as well as increased demand for more technologically advanced new cars. We expect new car registrations to remain stable in 2014 as customers return to a more regular replacement cycle."

It may now be time for people to consider what automotive jobs they should focus on securing in the current period of positivity, as the UK's economic recovery may give hope that the sector is one that will continue to grow for many years to come.

All manner of roles are available to those who wish to work with cars, from designing and planning new models to working on the factory floor as they are manufactured. This is without considering sales and administration roles that are also critical to the running of the industry.

Brands should also be thinking about how they can adapt to the modern market and implement strategies that will serve them well. One trend it is worth noting is that of the rise of smaller, more fuel efficient vehicles, which are now extremely popular as consumers look to drive down costs where possible.

There has also been a shift away from the upper-medium sector since 2008, with models in the mini and supermini segments proving to be among the most popular of all.

Every single type of car recorded a rise in sales in 2013, with the private sector recorded the largest gain. A competitive market has inspired confidence in both consumers and businesses and activity in the motor production sector is now set to continue.

The team at Unity Recruitment specialise in all types of recruitment, so whether your a business requiring staff, or a candidate requiring a new job, contact us & we'll work our magic!

A councillor in Exeter has suggested more residents-only parking zones should be implemented across the city.

Richard Westlake said money raised through on-street parking tariffs should be used to cover the cost of setting up more permit-based areas in the Devon city, reports the Express and Echo.

Budget constraints have already forced the county council to delay the introduction of a residents-only zone in Burnthouse Lane, Crossparks and Whipton Lane. Work on this will now not take place until between 2015 and 2017.

There are already several areas of Exeter that are covered by permits and possible extensions have been mooted.

Councillor Westlake said a scheme for various areas was put forward several years ago but has never been acted on. He said the details are there so the only thing that is required is the effort of council officers who would need to go through them and hold consultations before introducing new zones.

"The last I heard there was a surplus of £700,000 in the on-street parking account, which is used across the whole of Devon, even in areas which voted against having on-street parking," he stated.

"Most of this money comes from Exeter and there is a crying need for residents-only parking in some areas, according to the many phone calls I am receiving about this."

Tom Porter, chairman of the Mount Pleasant Independent Traders' Association, also wants to see action taken in order to combat commuter parking. He said parking should be designed to help local people and those who want to access local businesses.

Should one of his proposed rules be implemented - which would see no car able to return to an area within four hours of parking there - it is likely the council would need to employ people in parking jobs to police this.

A spokesman for the county council said it is not possible for progress to be made on more than one residents-only scheme at a time.

If you're looking for jobs in parking, then contact Unity Recruitment, the parking recruitment specialists.

The UK car manufacturing industry appears to have made a relatively strong start to 2014, with production quotas of a healthy level recorded.

New figures from the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT) show January was just 0.3 per cent weaker than the same month in 2013, which itself was a relatively good month in the sector.

Analysts are now confident that the country is in for a positive year in terms of the production of new vehicles. One of the key drivers of this trend is set to be the raft of new models that have already been announced by several major brands and will start to be manufactured in the months ahead.

Mike Hawes, chief executive of the SMMT, said: "We expect domestic car output to accelerate throughout 2014 as new model introductions reach full volume.

"Looking further ahead, we anticipate further growth as investments by some of the world's biggest automotive brands become reality, creating more jobs and huge opportunities for UK-based suppliers."

This makes 2014 a good time for Britons to start thinking about a career in the industry and taking on automotive jobs of some type. Many opportunities are likely to come up in the near future, so being qualified and experienced enough to take them is a priority.

And it is not only the UK that is benefiting from a strong car production sector at the moment, as the SMMT figures also show there has been substantial recovery in the European market in recent times.

Around 50 per cent of all British vehicles now head to the European Union, underlining how important this market is it to the UK and how its prosperity can be good news for those in Britain.

Indeed, the export market is actually said to have grown by 1.2 per cent in the year to January 2014. With this increase in mind, it would appear that now is the time for companies to start recruiting to fill positions & Unity Recruitment can help. Contact us today.

The lucrative nature of parking has been illustrated by the results enjoyed by hospitals in Derby over the course of the last year.

According to the latest figures, Unity Recruitment learnt that almost £1 million in profit was made by the Royal Derby and London Road Community hospitals between April 2012 and March 2013, underlining just how much money there is to be made by those who provide a successful service.

In total, around £3.3 million was taken by the hospitals before costs were taken into consideration, reports the Derby Telegraph.

Paul Brooks, head of facilities management at Derby's hospitals, promised the £963,000 profit will now be reinvested in patient care.

Overall, the two hospitals in question provide more than 3,000 car park spaces to patients and visitors. The money taken from these is essential in allowing the hospital trust to be able to maintain its buildings and meet upkeep responsibilities.

Mr Brooks played down the idea of free parking, explaining: "It's difficult not to get a surplus from parking fees because you can't get to a point in the year where you say, 'We've now got enough to cover costs, so we'll make parking free for the rest of the year'."

He went on to note that free parking would be extremely hard to police and the hospitals do not want to become effectively free park-and-ride sites for the city. As such, they must be protected and used for the intended purposes only.

As well as the revenue achieved as a result of parking fees, the hospital trust also made £4,425 through dishing out fines to people who broke the rules.

In order to implement regulations, it is important for hospitals to employ people in parking jobs with the responsibility to punish those who flout guidelines.

"Again, it's important to protect our car parking sites and this is one way of doing this - although 80 per cent of the parking tickets we place don't end up in fines," Mr Brooks explained.

British motorists appear to be making a significant move towards investing in more economical, everyday vehicles over those that are considered more exciting and flashy.

New research by CAP Automotive shows there has been a clear move away from more luxurious motors in the latest Total Cost of Motoring consumer research chart.

Indeed, the Ford Fiesta has replaced the BMW X5 as the leader of this particular table, indicating there is an obvious preference among British road users for practical cars that will be affordable in the long term.

Thousands of people consult the Total Cost of Motoring research every month before deciding what car they should purchase, based on how much it will cost them to run it and what they are likely to lose in depreciation over the period of their ownership.

Philip Nothard, retail and consumer expert at CAP, said: "While our first chart revealed unexpectedly high consumer interest in prestige and luxury cars, motorists in January were clearly more concerned with economy and practicality."

As well as the Ford Fiesta, other notable performances in the most recent research included that of the petrol version Volkswagen Golf, which entered the list two places below its diesel counterpart, while the diesel model of the Vauxhall Astra also performed well.

The chart's first people carrier - the SEAT Alhambra diesel - also made the cut, while the Ford Focus in petrol was replaced in the list by the diesel variant of the same car.

Such findings and a trend for more economical cars could alter the intentions of motor production companies in the UK, who may now employ more people into cater for the demand for everyday vehicles.

Mr Nothard told how another key finding in the latest research is that the variety of models interesting motorists is now incredibly wide.

If you require information on how Unity Recruitment can help you fill your automotive jobs, get in contact with our team today!

Despite a difficult time in recent years, the construction sector finally seems to be on the up and is in good health as 2014 gets underway.

The latest figures from the Markit/CIPS UK Construction Purchasing Managers' Index (PMI) show a series of factors have combined to create a sense of optimism within the market.

December saw sharp rises in output, new orders and employment, with a hefty rise in residential activity one of the main contributors to this positive trend. Indeed, the residential market is said to be the strongest part of the building trade at the moment.

Some 57 per cent of companies in the industry are now anticipating an increase in output levels, significantly up on the 31 per cent which felt this way shortly before the start of 2013.

Tim Moore, senior economist at Markit and author of the Markit/CIPS Construction PMI, said it is clear that many construction companies are entering 2014 with a renewed sense of positivity and the "wind in their sails".

"Most encouragingly, the improving UK economic outlook is helping boost private sector spending patterns, meaning that the construction recovery has started to broaden out from housing demand and infrastructure projects to include strong growth in commercial building work," he stated.

December was also a good month for recruitment in the construction industry, with the survey showing there was a rise in the number of people taken on in building jobs. This was the seventh consecutive month of growth in this area.

What's more, this good run in terms of construction recruitment is now the longest period of job creation in the sector for more than five years.

While residential construction projects continue to drive the market, the rise in commercial schemes rose at its sharpest in December since August 2007, while there was also a boom in civil engineering activity, which is sure to have contributed to the positive results.

If you're a business looking for candidates, then contact the team at Unity Recruitment, and we'll work to find you the perfect candidates.

A number of groups in Stoke-on-Trent have vented their anger after the local council decided to increase the parking charges at night.

Stoke-on-Trent City Council has opted to hike the fees from £1 to £2 after 6pm - a move that will affect motorists, restaurant visitors, traders and theatre goers, reports the Sentinel.

From the local authority's point of view, the decision is expected to raise an extra £108,000, but that has not stopped several people revealing their unhappiness with the new charges.

And it is not the only change the council is planning, as other alterations include introducing a minimum stay of two hours in some city centre car parks in a bid to encourage shoppers to remain there for longer, increasing charges in Meigh Street and John Street multi-storey car parks and offering a free parking zone in Woodbank Street, Tunstall.

Glenn Harrod, manager of The Church Bar and Restaurant in Old Town Road, said many people simply cannot afford to continue paying for parking, while owner of the John Belfield International Hair Salon in Hanley Jonathan Belfield added: "Evening parking should be free to entice people into the city centre."

Council bosses noted there has been no increase in parking charges in the city centre since 2010-11, while they are aiming to reduce fees in some other car parks and areas.

That has failed to appease business owners, who believe the hike could scare off traders and visitors and damage the attempts that are being made to persuade people to come to Hanley in the evening.

The council may now be wise to employ a raft of new staff in parking positions in order to maintain control and to ensure the new regulations are adhered to.

City Centre Partnership chairman Doug Wardle said: "A rise in parking fees will not help the city centre. However, if there is an added value with this change then the public and the traders may well benefit from it."

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Residents in Southsea have revealed their anger over the terms of a parking zone, which makes it extremely difficult for some people to leave their cars in a legal space.

Some streets - such as Bramble Road - are not included in the scheme, meaning they are completely full each day as commuters, shoppers and other people opt to park there.

But a series of nearby streets, including Stansted Road, are part of the permit zone and this means they remain virtually empty all day, reports the News.

Some residents are lucky enough to qualify for a permit providing they own their car and it is registered to the address in question. However, many others - including those who drive work vehicles or motors that are not logged under their home address - cannot park in their own road.

Steve Shoesmith, 45, of Bramble Road explained he is often unable to park his car because his street is so full, meaning he has to resort to parking inside the permit zone in Stansted Road. This has resulted in him receiving four parking tickets in a week, each costing £25.

"I have to park in Stansted Road because I have no other choice. You should see how many empty spaces there are over there," he said, adding: "I've been told I can't get a parking permit for Stansted Road because I don't live there, yet I can see it from the front window of my house."

Any council that opts to implement a permit scheme can ensure its successful running by employing people in parking positions to guide drivers on where they can park and to hand penalty notices to those who ignore the rules.

Portsmouth City Council is already taking some steps to alleviate the problem by extending the zone southwards towards Albert Road, with this likely to be good news for drivers who want to be part of a permit scheme.

For information on the services offered by Unity Recruitment, get in contact today!

The dawn of a golden era has arrived for the global automobile industry, with success for major manufacturers likely over the coming years.

A new report by the Boston Consulting Group (BCG) has suggested the coming months will be a great time for the car market in terms of innovation and advancement.

It explained there are four key areas in which innovation is set to excel. These are power train, connectivity, lightweight materials and active safety and assisted driving, with all of these predicted to be key to the success of the industry's leading brands in the years ahead.

Prior to reaching its conclusion, the BCG called upon research from a variety of sources - including the results of a US consumer survey, its own annual study of the world's most innovative companies and an examination of the latest patent filings.

Xavier Mosquet, a senior partner at BCG and co-author of the study, said: "Innovation in the automotive industry is retaking centre stage. Consumers want to buy cars from companies that bring new technologies to market, and connectivity, safety and fuel efficiency are three of their top priorities. The ability to innovate in these areas will be a major factor in individual automakers' success in the coming years."

The imagination and development skills available to the automobile industry are second to none, with a total of 14 car makers found in the BCG's list of the top 50 most innovative companies in 2013.

This was up from the ten vehicle manufacturers that made the cut in 2012, while just five were included in 2005.

A trio of car brands - Toyota, Ford and BMW - are found within the top ten when it comes to innovation.

With greater innovation, demand and success anticipated in the car production industry in the years to come, more firms could soon be on the lookout for skilled and experienced individuals to fill automotive jobs in various departments.

For automotive recruitment or automotive jobs, call Unity Recruitment today, the automotive recruitment specialists.