PwC survey says construction jobs in crisis

Over 8,000 Northern Ireland construction jobs have already been lost or are under immediate threat, according to a major industry survey carried out by PwC for the Northern Ireland Construction Employers’ Federation (CEF).

PwC’s Belfast-based International Survey Unit (ISU) polled 202 of Northern Ireland’s 1,500 house builders and found that 3,000 jobs had been lost in the 12 months to 20 June, with the house builders saying that a further 1,500 would go by June next year if conditions did not improve.

The ISU also surveyed 12 of the North’s 20 biggest civil engineering contractors. And while they had actually increased total employment by 4 per cent during 2007/08 – thanks to big infrastructure contracts placed several years ago – they, too, warned that jobs would go by mid 2009.

The civil engineering employers told PwC that their total employment could fall by a massive 45 per cent if the Executive failed to accelerate their Investment Strategy for Northern Ireland (ISNI) where procurement of key projects was falling behind.

Announcing the survey results, the CEF said the situation was at crisis point with the potential for further employment reductions if current house building conditions continued and if the procurement of major infrastructure contracts under ISNI (the Investment Strategy fro Northern Ireland) was not accelerated.

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Email: John Compton
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