Residential construction jobs in December 2009 increased at their fastest rate in almost two years, according to recent figures.

Want a construction job? Visit our CV advice and tips page.

The latest Chartered Institute of Purchasing and Supply/Markit Construction Purchasing Managers' Index, released on January 5th, showed the rate at which housing activity increased was the fastest since August 2007.

This is despite a recent statement from Brian Berry, director of external affairs at the Federation of Master Builders, saying he believed residential construction jobs were in for a "rocky ride" in 2010.

After the falls in output seen over the past few months, Mr Berry said he thought activity in the industry would only begin to pick up in a "very slow and disjointed way".

However, according to a recent release from Communities and Local Government there were an estimated 25,820 seasonally adjusted housing starts in England in the third quarter of 2009 - up by 18 per cent from the previous quarter.

This was the third successive quarterly rise in seasonally adjusted housing starts, the agency added.