Home > Ireland > New campaign to help unemployed construction workers

New campaign to help unemployed construction workers

Written by Robert McHugh, on 1st Apr 2015. Posted in Ireland

article headline

A new campaign was launched today with the intention of getting unemployed construction workers back to work. The campaign was launched jointly by the Department of Social Protection and the Construction Industry Federation (CIF).

The campaign hopes to raise awareness throughout the construction industry about the many Department of Social Protection services being provided to businesses to support their employment needs, and to connect them with the many talented and experienced workers who are currently seeking employment.

Former construction workers continue to make up the largest segment of unemployed people in Ireland. At present there are approximately 80,000 jobseekers from the construction industry on the Live Register, 66% of whom have been unemployed for 1 year or longer. With the sector now expected to enter a period of sustained growth, the hope is that construction companies will start taking on employees who have been long term unemployed. 

The campaign will see materials provided by the Department of Social Protection on their many employment supports communicated by the CIF through briefings, mailings, leaflets, videos, blogs, social media, a dedicated section being established on the CIF website and other channels.

Tanaiste and Minister for Social Protection, Joan Burton T.D. said: “No sector saw the stark realities of the crash more clearly than construction.

Restoring the sector to health will create a virtuous circle, whereby construction companies get the finance they need to build, construction workers are reemployed, and they build the homes that families need.

Both my Department and the Government at large are working hard with the Construction Industry Federation to make that a reality.

A key step in this process is ensuring industry employers are fully aware of the supports available from the Department. We can connect employers with skilled workers. But we can also do much more than that. Through JobsPlus, for example, we can help with wage costs, an invaluable support for companies.”

CIF Director General Tom Parlon outlined the CIF’s involvement in the campaign.  “Unfortunately there continues to be far too many former construction workers on the Live Register.

 Some of these people have been out of work for several years, given the severe difficulties the industry went through.  Now that our sector is starting to recover, we want to help do something about this problem and to help some of these people secure jobs.

The CIF is delighted to be working with the Department of Social Protection to help highlight the many different services and schemes that are available to construction businesses who wish to hire from the ranks of the unemployed.  

The CIF has a strong reach throughout the industry and we will be making that available to help generate greater awareness of the services provided by the Department.

We believe that this campaign will not only help those who are out of work, but it will also strongly benefit construction companies and contractors throughout the sector, as well as the wider economy.” 

For more visit: www.businessworld.ie

More articles from Ireland

image Description

Vodafone Ireland announces 120 jobs and €35m investment

Read more
image Description

Infineon Technologies to create 100 Irish jobs

Read more
image Description

Buymedia to create 100 jobs in Galway

Read more
image Description

Accenture Opens New Generative AI Studio in Dublin

Read more
image Description

63% of businesses in Ireland to increase AI spend in 2024

Read more