Issues

Workforce grows by 10,000 jobs

Graduate Recruitment Fair Northern Ireland’s latest Census of Employment has reported an increase of 10,934 jobs between 2011 and 2013. This represents a 1.6 per cent growth in the overall workforce to 704,017 jobs. The highest growth was recorded in Dungannon (9.5 per cent) while the most significant decrease was in Strabane (2.3 per cent).

Unemployment at the time of the survey (last September) stood at 63,000 and a further 47,000 people were economically inactive but wanted to return to the workforce. 6,900 of the new jobs were full-time and 4,034 part-time. Male jobs increased by 7,104 whilst female jobs increased by 3,830. The services sector grew by 11,236 jobs and manufacturing by 1,034 jobs. Employment in construction declined (down by 3,548) and jobs in other sectors increased (up by 2,212).

Over that time, private sector employment increased by 11,153 while the public sector experienced a small net loss (219 jobs). The public sector accounted for 31 per cent of employees, compared to 24 per cent in the Republic and 19 per cent across the UK.

The vast majority of Northern Ireland’s employee jobs were in services (82 per cent), followed by manufacturing (11 per cent), construction (4 per cent) and other sectors (3 per cent). The census excludes the self-employed and members of the armed forces. As of June last year, 107,900 people were self-employed: 53,600 in services, 29,300 in production and consumption, and 25,000 in agriculture, forestry and fisheries. Armed forces personnel in the region totalled 2,480.

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