Part time employment on the rise

In the twelve months to March, both the full-time gainfully occupied population and the registered unemployed increased, according to the National Statistics Office data issued on Wednesday.

Administrative data provided by the Employment and Training Corporation indicate that over a period of one year, persons with a full-time job increased by 2,453, or 1.7 per cent. On their part, the registered unemployed went up by 304 to 6,966. Consequently, the labour supply rose by 2,757 persons, or 1.8 per cent over the corresponding month last year.

In the month under review, the health and social work sector and the arts, entertainment and recreation sector registered the main increases in full-time employment. On the other hand, the number of persons employed in construction and manufacturing decreased when compared to March 2011.

Persons engaged in the private sector increased by 2,261 or 2.1 per cent, while the public sector added 192 persons, or 0.5 per cent.

Women employed on a full-time basis increased by 2,211 or 4.5 per cent, while the number of men edged up by 242, or 0.2 per cent. The increase in female employment was mainly recorded in health and social work and education, while the rise in male employment was primarily registered in transportation and storage and the arts, entertainment and recreation sector.

When compared to the previous year, part-time employment in March 2012 increased by 3,014, or 6 per cent. Persons whose part-time job was their primary occupation increased by 2,057, or 7.3 per cent, while persons who had a full-time job in addition to their part-time job increased by 957, or 4.3 per cent.

Women having a part-time job went up by 1,717, while men with a part-time job increased by 1,297. Much of the increase in part-time employment took place in the accommodation and food service sector, followed by wholesale and retail trade activites.