FAS/ESRI EMPLOYMENT AND VACANCY SURVEY - RESULTS FOR THIRD QUARTER 2004

March 12, 2004

News

12/03/2004

 

FAS/ESRI EMPLOYMENT AND VACANCY SURVEY - RESULTS FOR THIRD QUARTER 2004

The FÁS/ESRI quarterly employment and vacancies report, prepared by the ESRI, is based on monthly surveys of private sector employers’ experience of employment trends, their views on employment prospects in the short term, whether they have any vacancies and if they are finding it difficult-to-fill vacancies. The report provides indicators of employer sentiment on the outlook for employment and of employers’ demand for labour.

Key findings of the report for the third quarter of 2004:

 

 

  • Overall employment in the private sector is expected to decrease;
  • Private sector firms believe that employment levels in their firms fell over the third quarter;
  • The percentage of private sector firms reporting vacancies fell from 21 per cent at the end of the second quarter to 11 per cent at the end of the third quarter with each sector reporting a decline in the percentage of firms with vacancies;
  • The employment expectations of construction sector employees deteriorated throughout the third quarter but remained positive;
  • Industry sector employers felt employment levels declined during the third quarter of this year;
  • Employment expectations in the retail sector have reached their lowest level since May 2003 with significantly more employers expecting a decrease rather than an increase in employment over the coming months.

A summary of the report, with tables showing trends since the start of pilot surveys in April 2002, is attached.

FAS Q3 summary PDF