Construction jobs 'still available'

There are still plenty of jobs available in some parts of the construction sector, an industry expert has claimed.

Civil engineering and construction management students looking for graduate jobs this year could be forgiven for thinking their opportunities would be limited after the National House Building Council reported that only around half as many homes were started during 2008 as in 2007.

However, the Construction Industry Council's chief executive Graham Watts pointed out that while house building has been badly hit by the recession, other sectors are flourishing.

Public sector investment in transport projects and the construction of facilities for the 2012 Olympics meant that some companies have healthy order books, he explained.

"There is quite a lot of work around if you are working in the right sectors," Mr Watts said, citing tunnels, motorways and railways as the types of project which are likely to go ahead despite the economic slowdown.

Mr Watts added one caveat to his upbeat assessment - that the government must honour its infrastructure-spending commitments.