Where where's the voice of the Irish tradesman been hiding recently during the bashing of the trade sector ? Over the last few months the Irish press has made being a tradesman into some sort of stigma, one to encourage pity or charity. We've been forced fed that many articles, tuned into that many radio interviews and viewed so many prime time 'Special reports' on the woes of the trade sector, that it has become an actual burden to stay informed. Not to mention being an real life trade professional.
Have a read of the following recently:
According to the Irish Independent 7th June, 2008:
On building sites across the country workers are filled with trepidation. Whether they are Irish, Polish or from elsewhere in the EU the news seems to be relentlessly bleak.
The jobs of bricklayers, carpenters and workers in other construction trades are fast disappearing.
FAS, our national training agency, predict:
a quarter of all building workers will lose their jobs by the end of next year.
Just a snippet but depressing stuff. But perhaps we shoud question the these sources - if not for their statistics then maybe for their sentiment. Newspapers will peddle gloom to sell copy, while such agency reports failed to predict the current predicament in good time in the first place!
Ok, so things are not great. But I can give examples of a whole stack of tradesmen are doing just fine in the domestic sector. So rather than listen to the spin lets get some front line opinions here from actual tradesmen.
Gentlemen, the floor is yours, how is business at the moment ? Feel free to contribute something positive!
Posts
Ok, I understand your point here. It's a good thing to create a platform - but we prepared for the bad as well as the good stuff. I am a plasterer by trade and have definitley been feeling the pinch. I am working in the domestic sector - not a lot of site work - and it is competitive out there. That said my brother is a plumber and is going really well. The building and wet trade side of things is slow, maintenance and finishing is good. Thats my thoughts anyway.
ReplyDeleteThanks Michael. Interesting obseervation. Our figures would indicate that plastering hasn't been doing too badly, central heating, plumbing and landscaping are leading the charge though..
ReplyDeleteI am a small builder. I have 3 extensions on at the moment. Things are a little slower but I am optimistic. John
ReplyDeleteAre there no tradeswomen in Ireland ? Seems sexist...!
ReplyDeleteI am an architect but am now working as a labourer with a local builder. I'm not sure how much work he has so I will have to start looking abroad. Very bad state of affairs in this country.
ReplyDeleteI am a brick-paving, groundworks contractor in the galway area and i am happy to say work is steady both in private and commercial sectors (for now)
ReplyDeleteGlad to hear it Burkie, and long may it continue. At Onlinetradesmen.com we are getting a mixed reports - some of our members are telling us that things are fine, others (particularly in Dublin it seems) are feeling the pinch..it's still a long way off the media reports though..
ReplyDelete