NI construction 'in recovery'

Date: 02/02/2012 16:27:33

Northern Irish construction workers who rely on mobile data solutions have been buoyed by the news that the sector is due to grow in the coming years.

A new report has said that the building industry in the country will expand by 2.1 per cent up to 2016, reports the Belfast Telegraph.

However, the Construction Skills network predicted less positive news for the rest of the UK, positing that it will see growth of 1.4 per cent over the same period, with a full recovery taking up to five years.

Employment within construction is projected to grow slowly, at an annual rate of 1.3 per cent from 2012 to 2016.

Barry Neilson, spokesman for the network, told the newspaper that the sector is still a long way from recovery.

"We know to help the survival of the sector we need to embrace new skills to support the low-carbon agenda. These are difficult times and it is the skills and qualifications of our workforce that will help us survive," he added.

Private construction in the UK was reported to have risen four per cent in the last quarter of 2011.