The Northern Ireland labour market is hinting that the economy is on the road to recovery with a sharp rise in the number of job listings.
That is according to the latest NIJobs.com Job Report with Ulster Bank which showed that the number of available positions advertised on the local site was up 24% in the first quarter of the year compared to the same time last year, and up 40% compared to the previous quarter.
But while the headline numbers give rise for optimism, the recovery has been uneven.
Roles in IT and Nursing, healthcare and medical accounted for almost all the net gain in job listings, a sign of the demand shift as the pandemic progressed.
IT tops the list of the most in demand roles with software engineers, software developers, magento developers and java developers all dominating the top ten list.
The report said that trend looks set to continue as further inward investment flows into the sector and those IT companies already established in the region expand.
Unsurprisingly, those sectors hardest hit by movement and social distance restrictions have suffered badly when it comes to the number of jobs on offer.
The hospitality sector saw the number of job posts fall 72% on a year-on-year basis, retail down 6% and the not-for-profit sector was down by a third.
However, Sam McIlveen, General Manager at NIJobs.com, said the picture should look rosier across the board as lockdown eases.
“Our Q1 data is encouraging and demonstrates that a range of sectors are investing in the workforce,” he said. “As lockdown restrictions ease further, we will see more confidence in consumer habits, spending and business growth across some areas too which should all create positive outcomes for the jobs market.
He said the boon for the IT sector in Northern Ireland looks set to continue, putting pressure on maintaining a strong pipeline of skills.
“Northern Ireland is very much on the map when it comes IT. In recent years we have seen huge investment from global players and tech start-ups, but we must ensure that we are able to continue to provide the skills and talent to fill these roles as the sector evolves further.”
