Major jobs boost for Northern Ireland

Northern Ireland’s economy is on the up and up, according to a wide-ranging new report.

Latest figures from employment website, NIjobs.com shows the job market has grown more than 10% year on year.

Opportunities in Belfast rose 9% in the first three months of this year alone.

And the number of posts on offer across the province is up by 14% in 2017.

Accountancy role vacancies doubled in the first quarter and there were also increases in the manufacturing, HR and hospitality sectors.

Sam McIlveen, General Manager of NIJobs.com said: “For NI as a whole it’s good news with January, February and March recording a 14% increase in jobs and jobs in NI up 11% year on year. As Northern Ireland’s biggest city Belfast will always dominate the job market so it’s terrific to see jobs are up 9% in the city in the first three months of this year.

“From January to March jobs for accountants doubled. There was also good news for HR professionals with jobs increasing by 35% whilst jobs in Production, Manufacturing and Materials are up 30%.”

The report, which will be released quarterly aims to provide data and insight on key employment trends as well as helpful information on jobs for recruiters and job hunters alike.

Mr McIlveen continued: “The increase in jobs for HR professionals is a very positive sign for the year ahead. When companies hire HR professionals it indicates plans for investment, growth and job creation.

“The big increase in Accountancy and Finance jobs, showed many companies were hitting the ground running in the New Year, launching their recruitment drives early. We have had significant job announcements in the last 12 months from companies such as EY and BDO so it’s no surprise that this sector is thriving.”

“Engineering has traditionally been a significant sector in Northern Ireland and the last three months shows a 35% increase in the jobs being advertised online. We are seeing strong demand for civil engineers and electrical engineers. Local companies who are global players such as CDE Global and The Almac Group are continually investing and recruiting in this sector.”

The ‘NIJobs.com Job Report’ displays signs of confidence and investment but engineering isn’t the only sector enjoying a job boom. NIJobs.com can report a spike in opportunities for beauticians and hairdressers too.

McIlveen added: “Employment sector trends are usually a good barometer of the economy. When jobs for beauticians and hairdressers increase it indicates people have more money in their pocket to spend on non-essentials.

“We’ve also seen a steady rise in jobs in the hospitality sector. This is likely due to the increase of staycations for locals and visitors from across the border due to strong currency rates.

“It’s been a positive start to 2017 for the NI job market. Each quarter in the NIJobs.com Job Report we’ll provide our insights into jobs and recruitment across Northern Ireland. We have a direct connection with both recruiters and jobseekers so we know what is happening on the ground across NI and we look forward to sharing our observations on the latest employment trends.”