Total employment in the private sector grew 1.4% in December, or by 35,800 people, compared with the same month in 2008, the Census & Statistics Department announced today.

There were 34,560 vacancies during the month, up 7%, or by 2,410 vacancies, year on year.

Increases in employment were recorded in cleaning and similar services (16.5% or 9,300 people), construction sites (7.5% or 3,800 people), education (6.3% or 9,800 people), and food and beverage services (3.4% or 7,000 people).

Employment fell in manufacturing (-4.4% or -5,700 people), the import and export trade (-2.7% or -13,700 people), and accommodation services (-2% or -600 people).

Increases in vacancies were recorded in the retail trade (30% or 1,050 staff), information and communications (71% or 590 staff), the transportation, storage, postal and courier services sector (65% or 580 staff), import and export trade (16% or 530 staff), and financing and insurance (21% or 510 staff).

Decreases in vacancies were seen in food and beverage services (-23% or -1,210 people), professional and business services but excluding cleaning and similar services (-8% or -300 people), and real estate (-15% or -290 people).

Analysed by major occupation category, private sector vacancies were observed mainly in service workers and shop sales workers (10,880), associate professionals (7,800) and elementary occupations (5,640).

Compared with last September, the seasonally adjusted total employment and total vacancies in the surveyed sectors rose 1.3% and 6.6% in December.