A RESEARCH agency based in York is recruiting after seeing an upsurge in demand.

QA Research, based at St George’s Place, York, said it had weathered the storm since 2008 and organisations were investing once more in research.

The business has won a string of new contracts and is recruiting ten to 20 temporary staff on a project basis to help them cope with the surge in demand.

The business, which employs 22 permanent staff, has been based in York since 1989.

Managing director, Richard Bryan said: “The implications of the economic climate mean we expect to see more research work being needed to address the skills gaps in the labour market and studies around how the Government can help young people to find jobs.”

He said: “Most of our clients are in the public sector and there have been difficult times since the recession. Things have been slow for everyone, but in the last few weeks, things have picked up in the market.

“Our clients have a better idea of where they want to spend money on research. The type of research they’re commissioning and the types of projects that are really important to them.

“They still have certain needs that they need to fulfill and they’re spending money on them, but not as much as they did before.”

He said they were now involved in researching the views of childminders and nannies towards introducing peer support networks for the National Childminders Association and have conducted a face-to-face visitor survey at St Paul’s Cathedral to gauge the success of new exhibits and interpretations, as well as winning new contracts with the Ofqual, the NHS and Essex County Council.

The company also carried out five years of research with the Prince’s Trust to investigate ways of reducing reoffending in young people and met Prime Minister David Cameron to discuss creating a National Citizen Service as part of talks surrounding “The Big Society” approach.