Construction and employment

Global distribution of construction output and employment

Construction activities take place in all countries, but its output and employment dimensions vary widely according to country income levels. An ILO Factsheet, Construction: Employment and output dimensions, September 2007 (pdf, 36kb) provides a look at major worldwide trends.

Output	Employment

ILO Activities in the sector

Employment is one of the main themes of the Construction Action Programme, implemented by the ILO's Sectoral Activities Branch in 2004-07.

The Employment-Intensive Investment Programme (EIIP) of the ILO is also engaged in technical cooperation activities designed to foster employment in the sector. The programme aims to build the capacity of developing countries to expand investment in infrastructure and to use this investment to develop local resources and provide employment for local labour.

The EIIP works through the provision of policy advice, training, the dissemination of information, documentation of best practices, promotion of small construction enterprises and reform of procurement and contract documentation. Much of this work is done through ASIST (Advisory Support, Information Services and Training Programme) offices in Africa (Harare) and Asia (Bangkok).

Useful links/resources

• ILO Employment-Intensive Investment Programme