Contractor opportunities ''remain available in public sector''

Recruitment opportunities remain available in the public sector, it has been claimed.

Despite the public sector''s intention to make redundancies, there are still recruitment opportunities available, contractors have been told.

Alan Downey, head of public sector at KPMG, has highlighted this fact although he acknowledges that it will be at a reduced rate.

His comments follow a KPMG and Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development survey that has found demand for labour in the private sector is currently off-setting a fall in demand from the public sector.

"The big question is whether the private sector can create new jobs in sufficient numbers and quickly enough to offset the downturn in the public sector," he stated.

Mr Downey claimed that it is too close to call whether there will be a strong and sustained period of economic growth or whether there will only be a faltering recovery.

The construction trade is currently gripped with a similar uncertainty, according to Construction News associate editor Alex Hawkes, who has claimed that it is impossible to tell whether the UK is going to undergo a double-dip recession.