Careers and Jobs

It seems people in Ireland have been affected by the numerous job loss announcements and consumer confidence has slipped back in February. Fear of job loss is making many Irish tighten the belts. The struggling US economy has put Irish workers with US multinationals on alert.

Job loss announcements in February have affected most sectors and include Arnotts, Allergan, Jacobs, Grove Turkeys and Sercom Solutions. There is also the shadow over SR Technics and the whole construction sector.

It certainly does not seem to get any brighter for the Construction Sector. The latest report from Hook & MacDonald indicates that house building will fall further next year to almost 60% less than the 2006 record. This will mean a 38% to 48,000 completions this year.

I was speaking to a friend last week who indicated that his friend had negative equity on a house he bought 18 months previously. I read the papers and watch the news stories but this is when the demise of the sector really hit home. Ok there have been some positive announcement for the sector such as Arnotts but generally speaking it has been quite grim

Can infrastructure projects and commercial projects soften the blow for the construction sector?

I guess only time will tell.

Construction Jobs in Ireland

If you have been hibernating for the last year you will have missed the fact that the golden sector of Ireland has stuttered and is grinding to a halt. Negative news about the housing sector and of course layoffs and job losses. I have had numerous conversations with people inside and outside the construction sector and I have received contrasting opinions about the actual impact.

Today I was reading the Jobs & Careers section of the Irish Independent (no relation) and I could not help notice something strange about the construction jobs section. OK – it has been shrinking in size for some time BUT most of the agency advertisements were for overseas jobs and careers. Australia, New Zealand, London, Dubai and Abu Dhabi were some of the locations listed.

Micheal O’Leary was complemented about his honesty on his recent assessment of the aviation sector. Can an advert titled “downturn – what downturn” in the construction jobs section be a complemented for its honesty. Interestingly the same advert indicated it has career opportunities home and ABROAD.

Can we put a positive spin for those affected by the construction sector decline?

The above locations have a better climate, better work life balance with no M50.