Renewed confidence sees boost in job prospects

Research carried out by Amárach on behalf of the Society of Chartered Surveyors in Ireland (SCSI) predicts that an additional 30,000 jobs could be created by the construction sector by 2018 if the barriers to development are removed and finance becomes more readily available in a controlled manner.

This prediction in Construction Sector Outlook 2014 is in line with the Government's latest Action Plan for Jobs which singles out infrastructural development as a source of employment in the coming years.

Despite the Government’s commitment to infrastructural investment, employment growth in the sector is likely to come mainly from the private sector, according to SCSI president Michéal O’Connor.

“Public expenditure is expected to remain fairly flat, although Irish Water and some of the recent Budget announcements are likely to come through in 2015.

“The main drivers of the growth will be growth in the overall economy, demand for housing and commercial property, and continued investment in the sector.”

While he welcomes the measures in the Action Plan for Jobs, he believes they now need to be fully implemented.

“Some of the measures in the Action Plan, which include updating the planning legislative framework and making revisions to the planning system that would help speed up the development of houses and modern office blocks, are important components of job creation,” he says.

Sustainable levels
"Our view is that these measures should be considered along with other barriers to development highlighted in the SCSI Construction Sector Outlook 2014, including the cost of construction such as development levies and improving the availability of development finance and ensuring the full completion of the public capital programme, which would assist with returning the industry to sustainable levels of around 12 per cent of GNP in accordance with European standards."

It is also in tune with the renewed confidence in the sector being exhibited by school-leavers, with CAO applications for construction-related subjects on the rise again this year after several years of decline.

First preferences for built environment subjects more than doubled.

“There are opportunities emerging for surveyors in the private sector as construction on commercial and residential projects increases. For people considering a career in the profession there are opportunities to work on exciting projects including data centres, offices, pharmaceutical and infrastructure projects both here and abroad.

“A gap has emerged due to low levels of CAO applications in recent years,” says O’Connor, adding that surveyors are able to transfer their skill-sets across the world.

SCSI vice president Andrew Nugent, of Andrew P Nugent & Associates, agrees that prospects are particularly good for surveyors.

“In a nutshell, I see employment prospects as very positive across all of the professions and for surveying in particular. The property sector turned the corner about 12 to 18 months ago and construction activity tends to lag that a bit.

Commercial property
"In the last quarter of 2013, the construction market turned and began to pick up. There was such a lack of confidence in the sector among school-leavers over the past four to five years shown by the decline in applications for construction and surveying courses.

“That means there will be greater demand for newly-qualified surveyors and we are already seeing enquiries for experienced surveyors who may have emigrated.”

That growth would lead to specific job opportunities for surveyors and other professionals, according to SCSI member Tomás Kelly of Aecom.

“If the modest recovery continues to gather pace, and if the upcoming Government capital spending plans for post-2016 signal a growth in investment as a percentage of GNP, then the second half of 2014 and 2015 may see an increase in recruitment,” he says.

“With the dramatic fall-off in the number of students entering construction-related third-level courses during the downturn, there is a real possibility, as has been mentioned by some commentators, that a skills shortage may develop.

“In terms of those who have travelled overseas in the last five years and want to return to a growing sector, skills gaps will inevitably develop between graduate level and senior management, thus there will be opportunities at these levels provided competitiveness can be maintained.”

Claire Crowley, senior quantity surveyor with KMCS agrees. “Employment opportunities are prevalent for both private practice and construction contracting surveyors with a noticeable increase in demand for, and an evident shortage of, skilled graduate surveyors,” she says.

“Construction industry demands in the commercial sector have created significant opportunities for the surveying profession, predominately through foreign direct investment by well-known global companies.

“These global companies are either entering the Irish market or rapidly expanding an existing base in Ireland.

“This level of demand is high at present and is likely to remain high for the near future but is contingent on office space being developed to meet the demand.”