Arch Job Losses

@archie83 wrote:

So are there any jobs out there in Ireland for architects at the moment or is it all completely doom and gloom in every part of the land – I’ve suddenly been made redundant and wondering where to start?!?!

Douglas Wallace have gone into administration.

The word is that Reddys are about to do the same

@wearnicehats wrote:

Douglas Wallace have gone into administration.

Looks like the pre-aged copper industry will follow shortly then.

I guess just as its reckless to build an economy on one sector, its reckless to build a practice on just one major client (edward)

@wearnicehats wrote:

Douglas Wallace have gone into administration.

The word is that Reddys are about to do the same

Examinership to be precise for Douglas Wallace, I believe. Gives them some time to see if they can remain trading. Prague and London still ok.

As a young unemployed graduate architect, I feel that the inaction on the part of the RIAI is nothing short of disgraceful. They seem to be nothing more than an old boys club protecting the intersts of their “fellows”. A graduate architect can not even call himself an architect anymore and Associate membership of the club is a thing of the past.
If this Institution was of any use they would be campaigning the government to introduce an internship system for graduates whereby they can stay in the country and obtain the experience neccessary to sit the professional exam to gain membership of the club. Or maybe they dont want us being members as the young architect is far better positioned to provide a more efficient and complete service for his clients in these changed times. SHAME ON THE RIAI

@paul101 wrote:

If this Institution was of any use they would be campaigning the government to introduce an internship system for graduates whereby they can stay in the country and obtain the experience neccessary to sit the professional exam to gain membership of the club.

That’s a really amusing example of a perfectly self-contradictory sentence, almost as good as the famous “I don’t care to belong to any club that will have me as a member” by Groucho Marx. Why would you want to gain a membership of such a useless club?

Don’t get me wrong, I also understand your frustration. But I cannot agree with your conclusions – you chose your career yourself, why should you be getting anything from anyone for free? Why should the state, which already paid a lot to educate you pay even more to detain you in the country?

TV PROGRAMME
CALLING ALL ARCHITECTS

We are currently working on a three part TV series focussing on the global economic downturn with economist and TV presenter David Mc Williams. In one of the programmes we are concentrating on the human impact of the downturn and talking to people whose lives have been affected by the worldwide crash. We understand that a large number of Irish architects have been affected through job losses and ideally we are hoping to talk to someone, on camera, about their current situation, the affects of unemployment on the family, change in lifestyle and current job prospects. If you are currently unemployed and would like to take part we would love to hear from you. You can email us at cridge@tyrone-productions.ie or phone Yvonne Kinsella or Claire Ridge on 01 6627200.

pretty scary if it turns into reality?

http://www.irishconstruction.com/page/2178

noticing (2) architecture firms ads on tv…

😮 http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/finance/2009/0919/1224254861255.html by Barry O’Hanlon in today’s Irish Times

Almost 150,000 jobs in construction lost since 2007, says study

CLOSE TO 150,000 builders have lost their jobs since the construction industry went into recession in 2007, according to Government figures released yesterday.

The Department of the Environment’s Construction Industry Review and Outlook states that the recession in the sector is deepening, and predicts that the sector will contract to its mid-1990s level by the end of 2011.

The report, written by Annette Hughes of DKM Economic Consultants, estimates that direct employment in the industry fell to 167,000 by the end of August, implying that 107,000 jobs were lost since 2007.

“Including an estimate for indirect employment, the total number employed was 233,800 at the end of August – a reduction of 147,000 jobs since the peak,” the report adds.

The value of the industry last year fell by €6.4 billion to €32 billion, a decline of 16.5 per cent.

The report predicts that it will fall to €20 billion this year, a decline of nearly 33 per cent on 2008.

As the economy is unlikely to begin growing again for two years, the building industry’s value is set to fall to €13 billion in 2011, the report says.

At that stage, it will account for 10 per cent of the wealth generated in the Republic that year, compared with 25 per cent in 2006.

In volume terms, the industry’s output – what it builds – will have halved since 2006, reducing its scale to that of the mid-1990s, the report says.

It warns that there are risks that the industry’s value could fall even further over the next two years. If public spending on infrastructure were to be cut by €13.3 billion over the 2009 to 2011 period, construction output could drop to €11.7 billion, less than one-third of its peak in 2007.

Added to that, further falls in house prices would hit residential building, forcing output closer to €10 billion.

The report states that measures are urgently required to sustain investment in the industry. “The Minister for Finance, in his budget speech, indicated that there is scope to explore alternative options for funding public infrastructure,” it says.

“With the industry already heading for its most severe contraction in 30 years, such initiatives need to be urgently brought forward to protect jobs, retain the skills base and provide much-needed infrastructure.”

The report adds that, given the spare capacity in the industry, there is a good argument for incentives to boost energy efficiency in existing buildings.

Dept of Environment, Heritage and Local Government publish Annual Construction Industry Review 2008 and Outlook 2009-2011

On 18 September the Department of the Environment, Heritage and Local Government published the Annual Construction Industry Review 2008 and Outlook 2009-2011. This report independent report prepared by DKM Economic Consultants. The report can be downloaded from http://www.environ.ie and http://www.dkm.ie.

The report forecasts that the volume of construction output will decline by 23.8% in 2010 and by 8% in 2011. Thus over the period 2008-2011 construction output volumes are forecast to decline by 52.5% or by an average of 22% per annum. Thus volumes by the end of 2011 are expected to return to where they were at in the mid-1990s.

Key highlights:

* The construction recession is deepening and the recovery is a long way off
* Construction jobs hit hardest by the recession – a total of 147,000 direct and indirect jobs lost since Q2 2007
* An unprecedented increase in corporate failures in construction
* The housing supply overhang in residential market will discourage new building activity for next four years with only 10,000 completions per annum forecast in 2010 and 2011
* Public sector construction is suffering from the deterioration in the public finances
* Key measures urgently required to stem the deepening recession
* A strong construction industry is essential to support the recovery