Browsed by
Tag: jobs

The solution is construction, but the answer is not just any old construction – Part 2

The solution is construction, but the answer is not just any old construction – Part 2

Yesterday’s blog looked at the need to boost construction and the huge benefits the nation gains from focusing on job-intensive work. Today we’ll look at how else we might boost construction to generate economic growth and, interestingly, reduce the deficit. But before that it’s worth noting that favouring job-intensive construction is not just about where to channel public spending. It’s also about how Government frames policy and incentives. Yesterday I received a tweet putting the case for cutting VAT to 5% on repair…

Read More Read More

Construction employment holds up in 2011 – but fears remain over job prospects

Construction employment holds up in 2011 – but fears remain over job prospects

The latest national jobs figures may well provide some comfort for those in construction as they show that the level of employment held up last year. The number of jobs stood at 2,052,000 on the workforce jobs by industry count. And employment on the Labour Force Survey count stood at 2,165,000. Given the margins of error in the surveys the broad picture, as we see from graph 1, is of a flat jobs market in construction for the best part of…

Read More Read More

No joy in the latest construction jobs figures

No joy in the latest construction jobs figures

The latest official labour market figures show a drop of 66,000 in the number of construction workforce jobs over the year to June. On the face of it, though, there appears to be a bit of promise with the number of jobs holding up well in the second quarter compared with the first quarter figure of 2,095,000. Admittedly this was revised down by 20,000 from the number in the previous release. This number of jobs, by the way, is comparable with…

Read More Read More

Architects and engineers workload flatlines in cash terms – suggesting pressure on jobs and pay

Architects and engineers workload flatlines in cash terms – suggesting pressure on jobs and pay

The latest figures from the Turnover and Orders in Production and Services Industries data suggest that output in current prices from architects and engineers is flatlining. That translates into a real-terms fall when we take account of inflation. The graph shows the broad picture. And some will take comfort from the fact that the workload is not still in decline. Overseas work has tended to account for about 10% or so of the work and we will have to wait…

Read More Read More

Construction jobs slump to lowest level since 2003

Construction jobs slump to lowest level since 2003

Construction lost a further 24,000 jobs in the first quarter of this year with the number of workforce jobs dropping to its lowest level since mid 2003. The labour market statistics provide further evidence of the slump in construction activity. Although it is worth bearing in mind that the more jobs rich repair and maintenance sectors have taken more of a beating than the new work sectors of construction. This would mean proportionately more jobs lost for a given drop in overall…

Read More Read More

Latest jobs figures look pretty upbeat – but…

Latest jobs figures look pretty upbeat – but…

A first reading of the latest set of jobs figures provides some encouragement both for the nation at large and for those engaged in construction. Nationally unemployment was down and employment was up, with the rate of those aged 16 or older rising to 70.7% from 70.5% in the three months to March. Encouragingly the improvement came from more full-time employed jobs, rather than from self-employment or part-time work.

RICS construction survey provides more worries than hopes

RICS construction survey provides more worries than hopes

Construction workload is falling and we should expect it to fall further. That basically is what the latest survey from the surveyors’ body RICS suggests. The lines on the graph 1 are pretty clear. There are firms doing more work (blue line), but there are more firms doing less (red line). And on balance there is a majority of firms of the view that workloads will fall over the next 12 months (green line). But given that this survey data…

Read More Read More

Local builders still deep in recession says latest FMB survey

Local builders still deep in recession says latest FMB survey

Evidence that construction is still far from free from the grip of recession has come from the FMB, the trade body that represents many of Britain’s local builders. The survey results show a market that remained in rapid retreat during the first quarter of this year. There is some good news as the graph (right) sourced from the FMB survey shows. The level of new inquiries appears to be levelling out and this has sparked some improvement in the level…

Read More Read More

Explanations on why the jobs figures and output figures don’t seem to match

Explanations on why the jobs figures and output figures don’t seem to match

The Office of National Statistics has released an article that throws some light on the figures for construction jobs. I for one have been rather confounded by the construction jobs figures which seem to have understated the devastation on the ground, particularly in the wake of the collapse in house building. Indeed I have also been a bit bamboozled by the construction output figures for a similar set of reasons. While this article doesn’t put to rest all my concerns,…

Read More Read More