In this week’s StaffingHub Brief, we’re covering:
- The SIA | Bullhorn Staffing Indicator reached 106, a 2026 high, and is up 9% year over year. September payrolls added just 29,000 jobs and unemployment rose to 4.2%.
- JobSource and The Reserves Network merged under Catalur Capital, with leadership targeting a billion-dollar company within four years, and NOW CFO acquired Go HQ and Bright Flag Recruiting to build a transportation and logistics vertical.
- The majority of employers (83%) say AI skills are a workforce priority, but only 29% have built mature capabilities, while active tech postings requiring AI-related skills are up 282% since May 2024.
Staffing activity is up, but caution is advised
The SIA | Bullhorn Staffing Indicator for the week ended September 26 reached 106, a new 2026 high, up 9% year over year and 3.2% week over week. Industrial led at 15% YoY. IT climbed 6% and professional rose 8%. Office and clerical is still the outlier, down 8% year over year. (Learn more)
The services sector is still expanding (the ISM Services PMI came in at 54.9 in September) and the employment sub-index crossed back into expansion territory at 50.1, up from 47.8 in August. Anything above 50 signals growth. This is barely above 50. (Learn more)
September payrolls added just 29,000 jobs, well below expectations, and unemployment inched up to 4.2%. White-collar sectors contracted. The Conference Board’s Employment Trends Index fell to 107.56, down 0.5% from August. One down month doesn’t make a trend, and while industrial hours are up 15%, white-collar is declining. Agencies already building those desks are in a better position heading into Q4. (Learn more)
Two deals close as mid-market consolidation continues
JobSource (Southern California) and The Reserves Network (Ohio) combined this week under Catalur Capital Management. TRN places nearly 20,000 employees a year through 40+ locations across the Midwest, Northeast, Southeast, and Southwest. JobSource brings managed service and VMS capabilities. The combined company now operates six brands. TRN president Neil Stallard said the goal is a billion-dollar company within four years, through organic growth and acquisitions. (Learn more)
NOW CFO (300+ consultants, fractional and interim finance services) acquired Go HQ and Bright Flag Recruiting to launch a transportation and logistics vertical. Go HQ supports Amazon DSPs, FedEx ISPs, and regional carriers with finance, HR, payroll, and operations. Bright Flag handles recruiting for the same base. No terms were disclosed. (Learn more)
The AI skills gap is a sourcing problem for your clients
More than eight in 10 employers say AI capabilities are an active workforce priority. Only 29% say they’ve built mature capabilities, and 78% lack a strong internal mandate to lead upskilling. Staffing firms can fill that space between what clients need and what they can build. (Learn more)
Active tech postings requiring AI skills rose to 349,821 in September, up 282% since May 2024. CompTIA’s analysis found total active tech postings at 625,633, the highest in more than three years, with 16 of 20 tracked industries gaining month over month. (Learn more)
Workday’s data shows demand for basic AI skills fell 25% after peaking in January 2026, while hands-on AI skills (building tools, automating workflows, AI engineering) rose 51% from September 2025 to July 2026. Clients want people who can build, not just people who’re familiar with the technology. (Learn more)
