Now is the time for young people to consider careers in construction – Burke

Fine Gael Cork North Central Senator, Colm Burke, has advised that as young people make career choices, college construction courses and construction-related apprenticeships deserve careful consideration.  

“The construction industry was the hardest hit sector of the economy during the recent recession. The number of people employed in the construction industry fell from a high of 280,000 to below 100,000.  The decrease in the residential element of construction was particularly steep; in 2007 just over 90,000 residential units were built; in 2013 less than 10,000 were built. The ESRI estimates that 25,000 residential units per annum will be needed to meet demand in the coming decade.

“The recession is now over. The economy is expected to grow by 3% this year and up to 4% next year. As the economy begins to recover, the construction industry will also experience growth.  In a modern advanced economy the construction sector should be contributing a 10-12% share of the domestic economy. This figure was more than 20% at the height of the boom. The construction sector in Ireland is currently contributing less than 5%, however recent CSO figures indicate that employment in the construction sector has begun to increase.

“Nobody wants to see a return to the boom and bust cycle in construction. However, it is important to note that with a normal recovery, it is quite possible that the number of people employed in the construction sector will increase by 50,000 over the next three years.

“One of the consequences of the collapse of construction was a collapse in the uptake of construction- related courses at college and a dramatic decline in the number of young people starting construction- related apprenticeships.

“Now is the time for young people to look at future career prospects in the construction sector. The residential and commercial sectors are likely to experience strong growth in the years ahead. In Cork alone, we see the recent emergence of several large projects such as the renovation of Páirc Uí Chaoimh, the building of a the new Cork Prison, the development of the proposed Convention Centre, the 200,000 square foot office development on Albert Quay and the Cork Flood Defences. The demand for qualified construction tradespeople will increase in the years ahead. And of course a construction-related skill or trade is a valuable qualification to have if one wishes to work abroad.”