The construction industry is one of the largest employers in Ireland and is the industry that delivers on the infrastructure requirements to allow the Irish economy to flourish and grow. There are many facets to the industry from Civil Engineering , which constructs the nations roads, rail, water etc infrastructure, Mechanical and electrical which installs the technical capability into structures including electrical, broadband and industrial processes and of course the housing a residential sector.
There is much discussion about climate change and it is the construction sector that can deliver on the actions required to address some of these issues – such as construction of alternative energy sources, retrofitting of existing structures to increase their thermal efficiency etc. In short, the construction industry works to provide our citizens with the infrastructure for our daily lives.
There are many exciting possibilities to build a rewarding career in Construction whether you are interested in trade e.g. electrician or a profession , e.g. Engineer there will be a role for you. If you are a problem solver, interested in seeing the project you are working on taking shape and are committed to making the daily lives of our citizens better, then consider a career in construction .
With the current housing shortage in Ireland there has been an ambitious plan of action set by Government to tackle this crisis - 'Housing for All'. The Future Building Initiative supports recruitment and training across this sector in Ireland in line with Housing for All.
Click here for more information starting your career in construction.
Past CIF President Dominic Doheny says: “What I love about the construction industry is how no two days are ever the same. Each day brings a new challenge and new possibilities. I don’t think I would have had the same prospects in any other sector.”
The Irish construction industry employs approx. 170,000 people directly – these people work in a range of roles from deign, planning , contract and project management , onsite and off site roles.
A further 50,000 people are employed in industries which serve the construction sector, such as architectural practices, engineering consultancies and legal and financial sectors and agencies, building supplies etc. The AECOM Annual Review estimates the value of construction output across the Republic of Ireland (ROI) at €22 billion in 2022 , an increase of 18% from 2021. This activity is spread between civil engineering, commercial construction as well as a rising residential market.
The construction industry is thriving once again and levels of recruitment are increasing as activity grows the overall Irish economy improves.
Key positions that need to be filled in the next 10 years are:
A number of key Government strategies aim to shape the Ireland of 2030. The success of these strategies are largely dependent on the construction industry's capacity over the coming decade.:
In order to meet this planned growth, the industry needs skilled professionals and crafts people to manage and deliver high quality projects.
Under the Government's plan for the construction industry (Construction 2020 - A Strategy for a Renewed Construction Sector), employment in the construction industry will grow by 60,000 in the next 5 years. The National Development Plan promised an investment of €115 billion in the country's infrastructure over the next ten years.
This is to meet the demand of a recovering economy and to ensure that infrastructure is in place to allow economic growth and to meet the demands of foreign direct investment.
The need for 25,000 more homes each year over the next seven years is indicated.
There will also be a significant demand for commercial property in the years ahead. There is evidence of increased demand for engineers and other construction specialists and there is also a shortage of available and suitable candidates as recruitment by main building contractors, civil & structural consultancies and architectural firms is beginning to pick up. With this planned increase in employment, comes opportunities for individuals who have the foresight to see this growing demand and to consider studying construction related courses.
Employment in the construction industry has grown from 145,000 in 2019 to 170,000 – the demand for skilled people continues.
Women make up just 9% of those working in construction in Ireland. The Construction Industry Federation #BuildingEquality campaign strives to promote inspiring role models to women and girls considering joining the industry. Read their career stories here.
The key areas that require personnel are - Engineering (all disciplines), Project and Construction Management, Surveying (all disciplines), Quality, Environment and Health and Safety Managers as well as all the trades covered by the Apprenticeships (see below). Apprenticeships are critical in ensuring that the high level of construction skills and the quality of the skilled construction workforce is maintained.
Apprenticeships are available in the following trades:
Taking up an apprenticeship means that you will alternate between site based work training and college over a period of four years to become a qualified crafts person. An added benefit is that during all this time while you are training, you will be paid - even during the time you spend in college.
It takes time to acquire these skills and it is important that the level of apprenticeships within the construction sector is maintained in order to ensure that the industry retains competitiveness and effectiveness.
There will also be a significant requirement for new technical training courses for construction sector workers. This will ensure that the construction workforce is highly skilled, mobile and able to adapt to the changing economic conditions whilst ensuring that output isn’t affected.
The CIF Education, Training and Skills committee continue to support school leavers in several areas:
