Sixty seven per cent of Irish employees are going into 2017 believing the jobs market is strong.
This is according to IrishJobs.ie, who have today released details of their latest Jobseeker Sentiment Survey and annual index which captures the views of some 1,223 people.
The Jobseeker Sentiment Survey was published in conjunction with the IrishJobs.ie Jobs Index which analyses the number of jobs advertised online. The data was prepared and analysed by Dr. Declan Curran, Economist, and Dr. Chris van Egeraat, Economic Geographer.
It shows that 2016 was a positive year for jobs with a surge in fourth quarter of 11% in jobs advertised online year on year. The figures show:
• 49% increase in Construction, Architecture, and Property
• 36% rise in Hotel and Catering
• 28% increase in Beauty, Haircare, Leisure, and Sport
• 27% increase in Engineering and Utilities
• 22% rise in Production, Manufacturing, and Materials
• 22% increase in Security, Trades, and General Services
Encouragingly, all counties experienced an improvement in their vacancy rate. The highest vacancy rates are recorded in Carlow (5.11), Dublin (4.96) and Limerick (4.47). Some traditionally lagging counties, such as Carlow, Leitrim, Longford, Roscommon and Sligo are performing relatively well and have seen their position improve since 2015.
Commenting on the data, General Manager at IrishJobs.ie, Orla Moran commented, "Despite the challenges of 2016, the IrishJobs.ie Jobs Index shows a strong increase in jobs advertised online throughout the year, which has been matched by positive sentiment from jobseekers and optimism for the year ahead. We would however raise a concern about what appears to be a lack of preparation amongst employers for the UK’s triggering of Article 50 in March to start the Brexit process."
She added, "In our survey Irish workers tell us they are unsure whether their employers have begun Brexit planning. Given that Ireland trades over 40% of its exports with the UK, it’s important Irish companies start to think about the potential implications of Brexit and plan accordingly."
Source: www.businessworld.ie
