FIGURES just released suggest that Fermanagh is seeing proportionately the largest growth in employment in the North.
The total number of jobs has grown by just under 17,000 in the space of a year according to a survey carried out by the Business Register and Employment Survey (BRES). Locally, the Fermanagh and Omagh district council area saw the largest proportional growth in jobs with an increase of 2,016 jobs recorded.
The apparent surge in local employment during the September 2016 – September 2017 period has been attributed to an increase in over 1,300 jobs in the services sector, with particular growth in the human health and social work activities industry.
Services sector employee jobs in Fermanagh and Omagh increased by 1,365, equating to a 4.4 percent rise. BRES stated that the region observed “the highest percentage increase in service sector jobs observed across the eleven district council areas in Northern Ireland”.
John Treacy, general manager at Fermanagh Enterprise said, “This is excellent news. It makes a change from Fermanagh sometimes being at the bottom end of the table. Similarly this district has been ahead in micro-business start up for many years so it’s good to see that not only do we have an entrepreneurial flair where micro businesses and start ups are very successful but equally our job and employment levels are starting to rise as well.
“I believe it bodes well for the economy, reflected by some of our experiences in Fermanagh Enterprise.
“We have over 100 small work units and at this stage they are all fully occupied. The economy would seem to be improving and we look forward to it continuing to do so.”
The survey also noted that public sector employee jobs increased by 1.3 percent over the period. The first increase measured by BRES since 2013. Within the North the growth in the public sector was driven by an increase in female part-time jobs of 2,909, just shy of an overall five percent rise. However, female full-time jobs fell by 889 or 1.2 percent over the same period.
In a statement the Department for the Economy said, “It should be noted that district council area (DAC) changes in employee jobs over the year can be affected by the relocation of jobs within Northern Ireland. In some DACs this can have a significant impact.”
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