Welfare to work charity Careers Development Group (CDG) has voiced its optimism at improving trends in the labour market, revealing 7% growth in its job outcomes for the long term unemployed in the period between January and October 2009.

This follows on from today's announcement by the Recruitment and Employment Confederation (REC) of a fifth month of higher staff appointments, and early indications point to the trend continuing through November and December.

The REC's Report on Jobs revealed the sharpest acceleration in the growth of permanent placements since July 2007 and cited a further increase in permanent staff salaries as signs that the recovery is quickening.

Temporary and contract staff billings have also risen at the sharpest pace for two and a half years, it says.

CDG chief executive Roy O'Shaughnessy said: "Our figures reflect those announced by the REC today but more significantly relate to those unemployed for longer than six months, for whom finding work has proved a significant challenge.

"Last year we supported more than 26,000 people on their journey towards sustainable employment, which, considering the current climate, is a figure we feel proud of. We hope to see a knock-on effect in employer confidence and that these promising figures can stimulate the market on a wider scale in 2010."

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