Employment Structure

In early 2009 342,000 people were employed in the Western Region, which was a 26% increase from 2000.

The employment structure in the Western Region has undergone major changes in the past decade: massive growth, followed by decline in construction employment; the expansion of service employment both local and international; the growth of knowledge-intensive services; and recent rising unemployment. The WDC published Work in the West: The Western Region’s Employment & Unemployment Challenge in December 2009 which examines employment patterns in the region in detail.

Employment by Sector 2009 Western Region and Rest of the State

In early 2009 the largest employment sector was the public sector (health, education, public administration) at 26%, followed by industry (14%), wholesale and retail (13%), construction (10%), knowledge-intensive services (10%) and agriculture (8%). The employment structure in the region varies from that in the rest of the state in a number of ways, see graph:

(Download a hi-res PDF of this graph here):

Source: CSO Quarterly National Household Survey, Quarter 1 2009

Employment by Sector Western Region 2004, 2009

The numbers employed in each sector in the Western Region have changed substantially between 2004 and 2009. There have been declines in agriculture, construction and industry, while all the service sectors experienced an increase.

(Download a hi-res PDF of this graph here):

Source: CSO Quarterly National Household Survey, Quarter 1 2009

Employment in Assisted Companies

A summary of employment by in each county of the region is given below. As well as the change 2000 to 2008. This refers to employment in companies that have received assistance from the main state development agencies (Enterprise Ireland, IDA, Shannon Development and Údarás na Gaeltachta). These figures do not include companies supported by the County Enterprise Boards.

Permanent Full-Time Employment in western counties in Assisted Companies, 2000, 2008

Source: Forfás Annual Employment Survey 2008