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Why is the job situation so poor in Sligo?

Xiney

As a warning, try to reply to this thread in an analytical, additive way rather than off hand remarks about. Let's have a real discussion here

NO derogatory comments against ANY groups will be tolerated whatsoever. One of your lovely moderators is a foreigner herself (that would be me).

On to the business!

Sligo is, I think, well placed to have jobs, or it should be. It has a well educated work force sourced from the IT especially. It already has some multinationals in town, so nobody would have to pioneer it at this stage. And lastly, I think the population here is crying out for some high quality jobs and companies would get a great response if they moved in.

And yes, I realise that the job situation isn't great all over Ireland at the moment, but it was never really great in Sligo to begin with, was it? Where are the jobs that use the degrees the IT students are earning? Where are the jobs that pay more than minimum wage, or at least don't require you to serve muffins from behind a counter?

What should Sligo politicians be doing? And with the removal of Cancer services from Sligo General, is there any hope at all?

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Gillie

DenMan wrote: »

It unbelievable isn't? Rent Allowance, that's something else. When I lived in Malta a person had to be a resident of the country for 3 years before they were entitled to state benefits. I remember overhearing a Scottish person talking about it. In Ireland it is very different.

You lived in Malta???
Oh you Lucky B@stard! I LOVE Malta!
Been there about 5 or 6 times!

DenMan

Gillie wrote: »

You lived in Malta???
Oh you Lucky B@stard! I LOVE Malta!
Been there about 5 or 6 times!

Hi Gillie

Yep I lived there and made a lot of great friends and contacts. (Which is very handy as I want to pursue a career in Film/TV) I worked as an assistant to a film director over there. When I moved out first I lived in Marsaskala (south of the island) then I moved up north to Qawra (near Bugibba, Paceville and St Paul's Bay). It's a toss between there or maybe Dubai as to where I will spend my summers working.

Gillie

Ah Paceville! What a spot!
Spent most of my hols in around St. Julians and loved Valleta!

Sorry for going OT!

peasant

Sligo was never hit by the "celtic tiger" and started shedding jobs long before this happened in other areas.

Sligo used to be to the toolmaking capital of Ireland, yet even six years ago when I was looking for a job in that area and the celtic tiger was still roaring elswhere, Sligo was slowly bleeding jobs and companies. Now there's virtually nothing left in that area. Most of the "cheap labour" type factories have packed it in as well, manufacturing in Sligo is pretty much dead.

The artificial building boom has made things look a bit better (nice new shopping centres and hotels around) but underneath it all there isn't much substance other than Abbot. All of the lovely new industrial units that were built, most of them are languishing away at half capacity or empty even.

As someone said before, retail isn't the answer either ...someone has to earn the money that is supposed to be spent in all those shops.

Now that cheap credit is disappearing and the so called "equity" that people thought they had in their house is melting away, things aren't exactly looking rosy for Sligo.

I predict a good few empty commercial units with bumbleweeds blowing through them for the future ...as well as some half empty ghost towns in all those new housing developments that shot up recently.

DenMan

Gillie wrote: »

Ah Paceville! What a spot!
Spent most of my hols in around St. Julians and loved Valleta!

Sorry for going OT!

No probs

24 hour vodka bars, you can't go wrong there. You could spend your hols alone in Paceville. What a place. I want to go back!!! I miss it.

DenMan

peasant wrote: »

Sligo was never hit by the "celtic tiger" and started shedding jobs long before this happened in other areas.

Sligo used to be to the toolmaking capital of Ireland, yet even six years ago when I was looking for a job in that area and the celtic tiger was still roaring elswhere, Sligo was slowly bleeding jobs and companies. Now there's virtually nothing left in that area. Most of the "cheap labour" type factories have packed it in as well, manufacturing in Sligo is pretty much dead.

The artificial building boom has made things look a bit better (nice new shopping centres and hotels around) but underneath it all there isn't much substance other than Abbot. All of the lovely new industrial units that were built, most of them are languishing away at half capacity or empty even.

As someone said before, retail isn't the answer either ...someone has to earn the money that is supposed to be spent in all those shops.

Now that cheap credit is disappearing and the so called "equity" that people thought they had in their house is melting away, things aren't exactly looking rosy for Sligo.

I predict a good few empty commercial units with bumbleweeds blowing through them for the future ...as well as some half empty ghost towns in all those new housing developments that shot up recently.

Hey there

Your right, it's not looking good, is it? It's a real shame. Unfortunately I don't have the Delorean at the moment as Marty has it. I can't go back in time and change things. Hopefully things will improve. Or I am I an eternal optimist?

Xiney

Peasant - I'm relatively new to Sligo (and Ireland) so I don't know much about how it was. Thanks for that post, informative

elshambo

Xiney wrote: »

Peasant - I'm relatively new to Sligo (and Ireland) so I don't know much about how it was. Thanks for that post, informative

Xiney have you ever seen "Boys from the black stuff"?
it was a basic training show for how to live in Sligo in the 80's early 90's and i think it will be again soon

Uve lived hear for a few years but only now can we say welcome to sligo (the real one im afraid)

on the bright side, if there is one, it is true what the bitter auld fellas around the town say, it was much more fun when everyone was skint and not worried about getting a new kitchen every 2 years

Gillie

In all fairness, and just for some perspective, things are better now in Sligo than they were 5, 10 and 20 years ago.

Anyone disagree with that?

Culchie

Gillie wrote: »

In all fairness, and just for some perspective, things are better now in Sligo than they were 5, 10 and 20 years ago.

Anyone disagree with that?

I think we were at the top of a hill (construction based) 18 months ago. Construction Industry & Wages, property deals was funding basically everything including legal transactions, advertising, petrol station delis, Friday night and mid week beers and Mortgages and Loans, including non asset loans, credit cards etc.... ..... so if all this construction income is gone (or going) and the loans remain, and the asset to loan value ratio has increased due to falling property/land prices ...... then the question about us being 'better off' is open to debate.

Sorry for being so glum on the general picture of the local economy (it doesn't match my personal vision of things), but I just see alot of pain over the next 3 years or so, because so much of it was paper thin to start with. Apprentice Blocklayers were 'Building Contractors' with 12 staff and 7 vans on the road within 18 months of starting work....same with Electricians and Plasterers etc....
In the last 3 weeks, I've been asked by 6 people I personally know (all in the construction industry) ... "Is there anything going at your place?" .... or "If you need another pair of hands, give me a shout"

I just can't see where the or when the 'bounce' back will come from. Young people require access to mortgages to be able to buy houses....
Business requires economic confidence to flourish.....it's not there at the moment.

I genuinely hope I'm wrong ..... time will tell.

Gillie

Culchie wrote: »

I think we were at the top of a hill (construction based) 18 months ago. Construction Industry & Wages, property deals was funding basically everything including legal transactions, advertising, petrol station delis, Friday night and mid week beers and Mortgages and Loans, including non asset loans, credit cards etc.... ..... so if all this construction income is gone (or going) and the loans remain, and the asset to loan value ratio has increased due to falling property/land prices ...... then the question about us being 'better off' is open to debate.

Sorry for being so glum on the general picture of the local economy (it doesn't match my personal vision of things), but I just see alot of pain over the next 3 years or so, because so much of it was paper thin to start with. Apprentice Blocklayers were 'Building Contractors' with 12 staff and 7 vans on the road within 18 months of starting work....same with Electricians and Plasterers etc....
In the last 3 weeks, I've been asked by 6 people I personally know (all in the construction industry) ... "Is there anything going at your place?" .... or "If you need another pair of hands, give me a shout"

I just can't see where the or when the 'bounce' back will come from. Young people require access to mortgages to be able to buy houses....
Business requires economic confidence to flourish.....it's not there at the moment.

I genuinely hope I'm wrong ..... time will tell.

Agreed but that scenario is country wide!?!
Not specific to Sligo

peasant

Gillie wrote: »

Agreed but that scenario is country wide!?!
Not specific to Sligo

Except that Sligo used to have a fair few jobs in manufacturing that went while all this was going on and weren't really replaced with anything of great substance.

Now there is very little left to fall back on.

My personal indicator for the future development will be the deli counters around town. First thing to go will be the smoothie bars, followed by the 20 different varieties of coffe and soon we will be back to "hang sangwiches" with dried, sticky up corners ...no more baps, pittas and paninis.

Gillie

peasant wrote: »

Except that Sligo used to have a fair few jobs in manufacturing that went while all this was going on and weren't really replaced with anything of great substance.

Now there is very little left to fall back on.

My personal indicator for the future development will be the deli counters around town. First thing to go will be the smoothie bars, followed by the 20 different varieties of coffe and soon we will be back to "hang sangwiches" with dried, sticky up corners ...no more baps, pittas and paninis.

Jesus Peasant! I might aswell just do myself in now!:eek::)
Forgive me if I have just a wee bit more optimism that you on this one!

I gauge it as follows! When I was a kid things were quite tough!

Now I have a daughter and things are a lot better for her than they were for me!

People give out hell about how tough times while they are while watching Sky on their 2nd or 3rd telly in their house while looking out at the rain hitting their patio heater and cursing themselves for not putting the cover on their bbq coz they left it in their wifes/husbands/partners car.

Xiney

LoL Gillie

Still, I think that a lot of people have forgotten how to live within their means, or to examine their means when they change and change how they live.

brianthebard

Gillie wrote: »

In all fairness, and just for some perspective, things are better now in Sligo than they were 5, 10 and 20 years ago.

Anyone disagree with that?

I think we will know in a year or two. If buildings like the apartment block on Pearse, the thing beside the 4 lights, the units at carraroe, and all the shops that closed and moved to Johnson's court are filled and in use then Sligo will have survived, otherwise its going to be a museum piece to a time when developers threw up second rate buildings and hoped people would take the bait.

Gillie

I agree Brian but I think that planning and foresight is the real issue.
These things are being built without proper consideration about demand.

I really hope they are not empty!

brianthebard

Yeah very true. Some idiot built a shopping centre thingy at the end of coolaney, apartments at the back etc, must be finished since before Christmas I think, but there's no businesses in it. I really jsut want to blow it up...oh wait that's illegal, never mind!

DenMan

Not much development over the years and then it finally happened it was haphazardly done and badly rushed. They should have looked at ways to bring people into Sligo first before setting up buildings. Population increases in the West, people's trends and convenience of location are some options that should have been considered before planning went ahead. No forward thinking and long term goals were set out. After years of no investment things are not looking good for the immediate future. I have to wonder why there is a pharmacy nearly on every second building on every street corner here. Is there an epidemic? Are people really that sick?

Planning starts from the ouside and then draws in the town and surrounding areas not the other way around. When people go to the retail parks and do their shopping they would like to visit the town and enjoy their stay. There are cafe bars, restaurants, art galleries etc but where is the convenience for spending the day here. Where are the parking facilities? Shouldn't they be reasonably close not out of the way. Where are the transport facilities, ease of access?

How come Bus Eireann only have one route out to the retail park during the week, on a Saturday? There should be daily runs back and forth. People should be able to leave their car in the retail park and be able to travel intro the town on bus and spend some time there before heading back. I spoke to Bus Eireann about this and they didn't give me a proper answer.

I hope I am wrong but I don't think so. I am hopeful for the future though as I will be here for the next 4-5 years.

il gatto

Was posting a letter yesterday at the sorting office (not used as such. Waste of money). I noticed three units across the road were all vacant. Tractec, Platter and Darnet. Peripheral towns got the trickle down last and will usually get hit first when things start going wrong.
I think the lead on from that is jobs have dried up before people have the recession drilled into them. Leaves people looking around scratching their heads as to why there are no jobs (Xiney).
As far as an educated workforce goes, bear in mind, the I.T. pumps out about 1,000 "qualified" students a year. Supply far, far outweighs demand. For the several hundred students with degrees and diplomas in engineering, business and whatever or science and whatever, the north west, where most of the students originate, cannot provide them with jobs, especially of the level they expect.
Also, Sligo unlike other towns of similar size and location in Ireland, has no tourists. Or so little as to make no difference. Tourism is a massive employer in places like Kilkenny, Killarney, Tralee, Westport, Galway etc. Sligo is marketed badly, and anyway is grubby and badly planned. Week nights in the towns I've mentioned would put Sligo's Saturday night to shame. People see a dozen people with backpacks and look twice in Sligo. Other places are heaving with them. Sligo has the big city attitude problem and the small town mentality.

Gillie

il gatto wrote: »

Was posting a letter yesterday at the sorting office (not used as such. Waste of money). I noticed three units across the road were all vacant. Tractec, Platter and Darnet. Peripheral towns got the trickle down last and will usually get hit first when things start going wrong.
I think the lead on from that is jobs have dried up before people have the recession drilled into them. Leaves people looking around scratching their heads as to why there are no jobs (Xiney).
As far as an educated workforce goes, bear in mind, the I.T. pumps out about 1,000 "qualified" students a year. Supply far, far outweighs demand. For the several hundred students with degrees and diplomas in engineering, business and whatever or science and whatever, the north west, where most of the students originate, cannot provide them with jobs, especially of the level they expect.
Also, Sligo unlike other towns of similar size and location in Ireland, has no tourists. Or so little as to make no difference. Tourism is a massive employer in places like Kilkenny, Killarney, Tralee, Westport, Galway etc. Sligo is marketed badly, and anyway is grubby and badly planned. Week nights in the towns I've mentioned would put Sligo's Saturday night to shame. People see a dozen people with backpacks and look twice in Sligo. Other places are heaving with them. Sligo has the big city attitude problem and the small town mentality.

Agree with most of this.

Even though certain aspects the town itself are disappointing, the amount of Beaches, Woods, Trails etc. should be highlighted. If your looking for an outdoor holiday Sligo is perfect:
Beaches
Hikes
Horseriding
Golf
Fishing
Surfing
etc.

We need to put this info out there!!!

DenMan

That's very true. I have always wanted to take up Horse Riding. Is it true that Markree Castle allow people to rent out the Horses and go on a trail? Also does anybody know if Fencing is available here in Sligo, another sport I would love to do.

Gillie

DenMan wrote: »

That's very true. I have always wanted to take up Horse Riding. Is it true that Markree Castle allow people to rent out the Horses and go on a trail? Also does anybody know if Fencing is available here in Sligo, another sport I would love to do.

Fencing Eh? Thought that was just for Ze Germans and the Brits?

sobriquet

Gillie wrote: »

If your looking for an outdoor holiday Sligo is perfect:

It is, but so are many, many other places with which Sligo is competing for tourists. And many of those places have larger populations which can sustain those clubs and communities.

And about getting the info out there - aren't they? There's discoversligo.com for one, and I've heard ads on the radio in the past week advertising Sligo as a base for businesses and as a tourist destination (those 'The West' ones).

DenMan wrote: »

I have always wanted to take up Horse Riding. Is it true that Markree Castle allow people to rent out the Horses and go on a trail? Also does anybody know if Fencing is available here in Sligo, another sport I would love to do.

Try: http://www.sligosportandrecreation.ie/html/c_horseriding.html

No sign of Fencing clubs though.

Gillie

sobriquet wrote: »

And about getting the info out there - aren't they? There's discoversligo.com for one, and I've heard ads on the radio in the past week advertising Sligo as a base for businesses and as a tourist destination (those 'The West' ones).

The majority of those ads in relation to Sligo are crap.

Look at the discover ireland vids on telly where they showcase Galway and Mayo. We need some proper footage of Sligo's beauty spots showcased on TV!

Hail 2 Da Chimp

DenMan wrote: »

That's very true. I have always wanted to take up Horse Riding. Is it true that Markree Castle allow people to rent out the Horses and go on a trail? Also does anybody know if Fencing is available here in Sligo, another sport I would love to do.

Was in Markee Castle last year they take you out on a trail with the horse - it's pretty cool actually, there was only 2 of us doing it. They also have archery out there - not sure aboot fencing.

DenMan

Maybe we should try and arrange a day out there for all the Sligo Boardsies. Horses and Archery, that would be great. Then we can go out for Beers then.

Gillie

I'll pass on the horsey's thanks! Been f*cked off and bitten by a few of them at this stage so I steer clear these days!

Hail 2 Da Chimp

I was actually surprised how much I liked the horse riding, the archery would be class too and when you add pints to the mix that makes for one happy Chimpy!

Gillie

brianthebard

DenMan wrote: »

Also does anybody know if Fencing is available here in Sligo, another sport I would love to do.

me and my da were fencing at the weekend *cough*on the farm that is *cough* have you asked at the IT?i dunno what clubs they have but might be worth a shot.