AdWorld News

UK Agency Employment Falls by 7.4%

The number of people working in the UK advertising industry has fallen for the first time since 1993 according to a survey carried out by the Institute of Practitioners in Advertising (IPA).

According to the survey the number of employees at IPA agencies fell by 7.4% to 18,635. In addition the numbers of entry-level trainees was down from 3.9% to just 1.3% of overall total.

The effects of the recession also led to shorter working hours, sabbaticals and unpaid leave. Some 16% of agencies surveyed said that they had introduced shorter working hours while 18% said that they allowed staff take unpaid leave.

The report also noted that graduate recruitment was down by 22.7% although around 45.2% of employees under the age of 30 while 37% are aged between 31 and 40.