Employment numbers up by 63,000 in 2018; Live Register figures down by 1.2% in November

The number of people entering employment in 2018 increased by 63,000, bringing the total employed in Ireland up to 2.26m.

Employment numbers up by 63,000 in 2018; Live Register figures down by 1.2% in November

The number of people entering employment in 2018 increased by 63,000, bringing the total employed in Ireland up to 2.26m.

That’s according to SOLAS, the state's Further Education and Training Authority, which today published the 2019 National Skills Bulletin.

The increase in employment in 2018 is spread across many sectors, particularly for administrative support, education and construction. In terms of occupations, growth in employment has been particularly focused on professional occupations and those in skilled trades such as construction trades and chefs.

Key findings from the Bulletin include:

  • The number of people in unemployment was down to 128,800 in the last quarter of 2018 which represents a decline of 15,200 since the last quarter of 2017.
  • Inward migration continued to exceed outward migration, resulting in an increase in the positive net migration of 33,800 persons – an increase of 10,600 from 2917. Similarly, the number of employment permits increased – up by a fifth year-on-year.
  • Skills shortages are continuing to be encountered across a range of sectors such as ICT, health, education, financial and construction.
  • High skilled shortages require both a high level of education and experience and are often in niche areas. Shortages in mid-level skills are driven by a number of factors such as the increased activity in the construction sector, and a lack of suitable candidates with the required language skills for many sales and technical support roles.
  • The tightening labour market is also making it difficult for employers to find candidates willing to take up roles in several areas including hospitality, health and agriculture.
  • For those getting jobs in professional roles, most held third-level qualifications and were being recruited in full-time positions in sectors such as education, health and ICT.
  • For those starting in low skilled jobs (elementary occupations), many were young (under 25 years of age), gaining part-time positions and over half were being employed in the accommodation and food services sector.
  • In the last five years there has been a significant fall in the unemployment rate for those previously employed in skilled trades (from 13 per cent in 2013 to 2.6 per cent in 2018).

Speaking on the publication of the report SOLAS CEO, Andrew Brownlee said: “The National Skills Bulletin provides an essential source of information on the labour market in Ireland and the skills needs of the economy. With the likely impact of Brexit yet to be fully understood, the National Skills Bulletin provides an excellent insight into the current standing of the workforce which will assist with any education and training interventions that may be required into the future.

“By providing 300,000 further education and training places each year SOLAS is striving to meet the needs of learners, employers and communities. SOLAS and the Education and Training Boards have recently adopted a more strategic, multi-annual approach to planning and funding which will further enable the sector to respond to these findings.”

Joan McNaboe, SOLAS Skills and Labour Market Research Unit, said: “The Bulletin is a useful tool for understanding the Irish labour market and the performance of the economy as a whole. In this year’s bulletin, for example, the fall in the unemployment rate for those previously employed in skilled trades indicate the supply of skills to the construction sector from the unemployment pool has all but dried up.

“Another example from the report is that the number of employment permits are continuing to increase year-on-year, indicating how Ireland is still an attractive place for people to come to work.

“The National Skills Bulletin is not only a source of information on the labour market, but helps to inform policy formulation in the areas of employment, education and training, career guidance and immigration. The Bulletin also aims to assist students, job seekers, people returning to the labour force, investors and employers in making labour market decisions.”

Produced by SOLAS, the Further Education and Training Authority with responsibility for funding, planning and co-ordinating further education and training in Ireland, on behalf of the National Skills Council, the Bulletin provides an overview of the Irish labour market at occupational level, by examining a variety of indicators on demand and supply based on an analysis of a number of data sources, including the CSO's Labour Force Survey. This is the fifteenth in an annual series of reports produced by SOLAS' team of labour market economists and researchers.

The full National Skills Bulletin 2019 is available here.

The Solas report comes on the same day as the CSO released its monthly live register report.

The report shows that on a seasonally adjusted basis the Live Register total recorded a monthly decrease of 2,300 (-1.2%) for November 2019 bringing the seasonally adjusted total to 186,400.

The number of persons on the Live Register in November 2019 is the lowest number recorded in the seasonally adjusted series since January 2008.

The full report can be analysed here.

more courts articles

Stephen Bear ordered to pay back profits from sharing private sex tape Stephen Bear ordered to pay back profits from sharing private sex tape
Gary Glitter victim seeking six-figure sum in damages, court told Gary Glitter victim seeking six-figure sum in damages, court told
Man (25) in court charged with murdering his father and attempted murder of mother Man (25) in court charged with murdering his father and attempted murder of mother

More in this section

FILE PHOTO The Competition and Consumer Protection Commission has cleared the purchase of Goodbody Stockbrokers by AIB END Goodbody Stockbrokers fined over €1.2m by Central Bank over rules breaches
Nottingham City Centre Stock Irish staff at the Body Shop wait for wages as retailer shuts stores in the Republic
Ryanair comments on Norwegian Ryanair boss O'Leary's spat with Transport Minister over Dublin Airport escalates
IE logo
Devices


UNLIMITED ACCESS TO THE IRISH EXAMINER FOR TEAMS AND ORGANISATIONS
FIND OUT MORE

The Business Hub
Newsletter

News and analysis on business, money and jobs from Munster and beyond by our expert team of business writers.

Sign up
ie logo
Puzzles Logo

Play digital puzzles like crosswords, sudoku and a variety of word games including the popular Word Wheel

Lunchtime News
Newsletter

Keep up with the stories of the day with our lunchtime news wrap.

Sign up
Cookie Policy Privacy Policy Brand Safety FAQ Help Contact Us Terms and Conditions

© Examiner Echo Group Limited