The recent economic downturn has had a dramatic effect upon the country as a whole. From pension annuity rates becoming lessened, to the cost of groceries going up, it seems that we all have a little less in our pockets.

It has affected the workplace as well, with the construction industry in particular having come under increasing pressure. The housing bubble was partly to blame for this, but the balance seems to have tilted too far in the other direction, with the construction industry suffering badly.

This doesn't just apply to the house builders. It also knocks on to the army of bricklayers, plumbers, roofing specialists, materials suppliers, drivers and many more people besides. In fact, the whole 'eco system', if you will, is experiencing a tough time at the moment.

Will things pick up? This is a good question. Some people put a recovery down to years rather than months. The risk for the construction industry is that society will adapt to new methods such as house sharing and renting as opposed to buying. The other risk, is that skilled workmen and women will leave the market altogether, leaving a gap in the future.

The next twelve months will prove to be a telling time for not only the construction industry, but both the countries, and the world's economy as well. For the time being, though, there seems to be no immediate change on the horizon.