Job vacancies surge during summer months but are down by 23% annually

Despite the precarious position of many companies due to the pandemic, there has been significant growth in a number of industries. File image.

There are nearly a quarter fewer job opportunities available now there was this time last year.

According to figures released by IrishJobs.ie, job vacancies are down by 23% in the third quarter of 2020, when compared to the same time last year.

The hospitality and tourism sector faced significant challenges due to the impact of public health guidelines. However, as Covid-19 restrictions were lifted somewhat in the summer, job vacancies in the hotel and catering companies were up by 460% in the second quarter of the year. When compared with 2019 however, job vacancies are down by 73%.

Jobs openings in tourism, travel and airlines are down by 90% annually, but they too experienced growth during the summer, with a 75% increase in vacancies in the second quarter of the year, compared with the first. 

Despite the precarious position of many companies due to the pandemic, there has been significant growth in a number of industries.

Job vacancies are up by 83% in the IT sector, 42% in construction and property, 29% in engineering and utilities, 26% in pharmaceuticals, and there's been a 10% increase in vacancies in the medicine and healthcare sector. 

Commenting on the findings, General Manager of IrishJobs.ie Orla Moran said despite the challenges presented by the pandemic, there is some reason to be optimistic; "A 56% growth in job vacancies suggests businesses are adjusting to this backdrop of uncertainty. A recent Central Bank quarterly report suggested that the Irish economy will see a decline of less than half a per cent this calendar year.

“However, this doesn’t tell the full story. Our Q3 data demonstrates a clear divergence between sectors dominated by large multinationals and those consisting of smaller indigenous SMEs."