More Information
Northern Ireland comprises part of the United Kingdom and lies in the North Eastern section of the island of Ireland. With a population of roughly 1.8 million people, much of the region's population lives and works in the capital and largest city of Belfast. With an economy traditionally based in industry such as shipbuilding, textiles and manufacturing, it has since diversified and is now predominately based in the service industries.
Key industries and employers
The manufacturing industry remains integral to the economy in Northern Ireland, however, due to a change in the type of manufacturing from traditional industries to high-tech and capital-intensive industries. Engineering is the largest manufacturing sub-sector in Northern Ireland, with Bombardier Aerospace being a large employer in the region. Fujitsu, Seagate, Caterpillar, and DuPont are all also based in the region and provide significant levels of employment. Overall, manufacturing accounts for 9.7% of Northern Ireland's employment.
On the other hand, 31.3% of all employment is accounted for by Public Administration, Health, Education and Social Work, with local authorities, NHS Trusts and area schools providing much of the region's employment.
Economic overview
Unemployment levels in Northern Ireland are on par with the rest of Great Britain at 7.8%. As with any region in the country at this time, however, the job market is as competitive as ever and the chances of finding a suitable position can greatly be improved by utilising the specialist knowledge of a recruitment agency.