In fact, only 80 % of the required number of secondary trainees were recruited, the worst performance since comparable records began seven years ago. (neu.org.uk)
This sentiment is supported by the overall results for the UK employment market; the Office for National Statistics reports that the UK employment rate was 75.3 % in 2017, which is the joint highest since comparable records began in 1971.» (lawyer-monthly.com)
But that rising population means the 29.41 million people in work today gives an official employment rate of 74.4 per cent - not dissimilar to the 74.6 per cent back when comparable records began in 1971. (channel4.com)