Chancellor Alistair Darling’s Pre-Budget Report (PBR) has been seen as one of the most important packages of government proposals in over a decade Included in that package were some very positive moves for renewable energy, which could equate to a big increase in ‘green-collar’ jobs – particularly renewable energy jobs, nuclear jobs and other careers in the UK’s energy industries

Desperate times call for desperate measures, and the Chancellor’s Pre-Budget Report (PBR) delivered recently could herald a new era of co-operation between the Government and the construction industry The PBR announced that £3billion worth of investment that was due to be carried out in 2010-11 is to be brought forward – news that has been welcomed by the Civil Engineering Contractors Association (CECA)

Chancellor Alistair Darling’s Pre-Budget Report (PBR) caused shockwaves throughout UK PLC and has been heralded as one of the most extraordinary packages of measures presented by a Chancellor in a long time It seems that the government really does understand just how serious things are outside the hallowed halls of Parliament and has reacted accordingly, giving the country an economic shot in the arm with a plethora of measures, all designed to pull the country out of recession as quickly as possible

Despite the doom-laden economic picture of a worldwide economy in meltdown, our love affair with oil has not been diminished In fact, the oil and gas industry is one of the biggest growth industries globally, and the race to find more reserves of black gold continues 24 hours a day

The recent economic downturn has led to nervous times in the construction industry Construction recruitment has been slashed as building projects are put on hold, whilst potential buyers slam the door shut on their finances and ride out the economic storm in the only way they know how – by not spending money

Cut the arteries of business and they bleed oil Anything that interrupts the flow of this precious black liquid is likely to send the world economies into freefall

With a Chancellor who thinks that the UK economy is in its worst crisis for 60 years, continuing news reports of recession and credit crunches galore, the job market has seen a sharp increase in the number of unemployed recently But is it all doom and gloom

The winds of change are blowing through the UK economy, and they’re sending wind turbines spinning into overdrive As beleaguered consumers face mounting energy bills, alternative energy and renewable sources are being taken far more seriously than ever before

The oil and gas industry, including exploration and production, consists of about 7,000 companies who pull in a combined, estimated revenue of around £450 billon However, the production and associated revenue are fragmented; around 10% of companies generate approximately 60% of this figure

During the early 1820’s, as Britain experienced a massive trade-boom, it became apparent that the emerging technologies of mobile steam engines and iron rail construction could contribute enormously to the existing road, canal and coastal shipping networks None of these methods of transport had required government-funding, so a group of private investors petitioned Parliament for the right to construct the lines they thought were commercially beneficial