There are not enough candidates entering the purchasing profession, despite increasing demand for graduate and mid-level purchasers.

Duncan Ward, operations director of procurement and supply chain at recruitment consultants Badenoch & Clark, said that while procurement head-counts were rising and demand for skilled purchasing professionals remained high, there were still not enough people entering the industry.

“Procurement plays such an important role in a business. Its profile has been raised with businesses’ need to make efficiencies but professionals still need to raise the profile of what the industry can offer to graduates.”

Ward also stressed that while employers were actively seeking graduate and mid-level purchasing staff, economic uncertainty meant that they were still looking for trained staff with a wide range of skills and capabilities.