The Irish economy is flourishing and there’s no shortage of jobs, yet the buoyant financial state also intensifies the struggle to secure housing and the cost of living remains steep. These elements undoubtedly played a part in the departure of 69,000 people from Ireland between April of 2023 and 2024. A sizeable proportion of these migrants are young individuals, many of whom are bound for Australia, Canada and New Zealand.
However, for those graduates who decide to stay or are able to, a wealth of job prospects exists. Kara McGann, the leader of skills and social policy at the Irish Business and Employers Confederation (Ibec), stated that the employment landscape is evolving swiftly. The influx of technology is instigating quick changes, urging Ireland to maintain its competitiveness on the global stage. Therefore, it is imperative to continuously develop and hone professional skills for both the benefit of the employer and the individual’s career development.
According to McGann, graduates bring stunning skills, proficiency, and innovation. These fresh talents offer employers a new standpoint. Furthermore, companies are keen to identify what suits graduates and make alterations to cater to this. Yet, they also desire graduates who can function effectively within the existing organisational system. McGann adds, it is vital to have a sociable approach that seeks human connection in the workplace.
Moreover, Joan McNaboe, research chief of the skills and labour market research unit at Solas, the additional education and training agency, shared that 2022 saw considerable job movement. However, the situation is beginning to regain stability. People previously discussed the ‘great reshuffle’ in the post-Covid period, but in reality, it was more about individuals switching occupations, she explains.
The current employment scene is thriving with ample job prospects. A notable trend is the growth witnessed in most industries, as well as robust hiring for university graduates. However, certain vocations appear to be subject to gender-based partitioning, and this could potentially trigger vacancies. A diverse array of positions is available, encompassing both high-industry and novice roles.
There exist certain dominant trends that influence the job market, including climate activism, circular economy growth, waste management, energy conservation, environmental, social, and governance standards, and sustainable finance, among others.
Many perceive new technology, artificial intelligence for instance, to be strictly a part of the IT sector. However, this sector also involves a considerable degree of regulatory compliance, which in turn generates numerous job positions, particularly in the field of cybersecurity.
The lifting of the previous recruitment embargo by Health and Safety Executive could result in additional job creation, enabling health professionals like doctors, nurses, and therapists to secure jobs more easily.
An urgent demand for educators has also been noted, with schools facing severe staff cuts. In some instances, second-tier schools have been compelled to discontinue certain subjects. McNaboe acknowledges a significant demand for teachers of subjects such as mathematics, biology, construction studies and Irish.
In an interesting development, the EU has a significant amount of content that needs translation into Irish, consequently presenting ample job opportunities for graduates affiliated with the language.
Indeed.com, a leading job portal in Ireland, shows data predicting registered nursing as the most sought-after profession in 2024. Subsequent to this are roles like information security analysts, software engineers, ecommerce managers, and digital content creators. For the technologically adept Gen Z graduates, the latter role could unveil myriad opportunities.
Indeed also acknowledges a demand for UX and UI designers, automation engineers, sustainability managers, and data scientists. The latter two roles did not exist ten years ago, thus, graduates should remain adaptable as job roles can evolve considerably.
The demand also extends to sectors such as physiotherapy, web development, truck driving, digital marketing, technical writing, with an ability to translate complex information for non-expert audiences, and quality assurance specialists, as per the Indeed report.
As Ireland observes an increase in the age of its population, there is a correlating rise in the demand for healthcare workers, which is clearly shown in Indeed’s list. Parallel to this, the appearance of burgeoning regulation within sectors such as food, banking, media, architecture, and construction have led to a growing requirement for compliance officers.
On the subject of employment sectors experiencing sluggish or potentially declining growth, McNaboe acknowledges a few that exhibit slower progress. Hospitality, although not fully recovered, is close to returning to its pre-pandemic state. The transport sector has shown signs of stabilization. Meanwhile, the sectors offering business services including administrative support services that employ landscape gardeners, cleaners, and security experience predicaments due to the increasing trend of people opting to work from home rather than offices.
The 2024 graduates have faced unanticipated challenges in terms of skill development. Prior classes managed to develop soft skills like communication, research, and teamwork through active engagement in college life and part-time employment. However, 2024’s class had to endure a year of remote learning with all student activities going completely online and most student job opportunities in hospitality and retail being paused or completely shut down. This unfortunate situation might have led to important omissions in their resumes.
Employers, fully understanding of the situation, recommend a strategic approach by the students. They should reflect back on their four years of study and emphasize skill sets developed during this period which could be valuable to potential employers. These skills could be anything from handling a group project to voluntary work for a charity organisation, coaching activities, or even a new hobby developed during lockdown. It’s crucial that these skills and attributes are closely tied to the position being applied for. It’s advisabile to tailor each CV to match the specific job advertisement.
Something else to bear in mind is that a specific qualification might not be necessary to obtain a position within an engineering or finance firm, for example, because numerous firms offer in-house training to freshly hired staff. They prioritize right skills, the right attitude, and the right attributes above formal qualifications.
As Ireland grapples with labour and skills deficiencies, the irony lies in the fact that many of the necessary workforce are already residents of the country. Now, the question is why there is still an issue?
Joan McNaboe, who spearheads research on skill and labour markets at Solas, shared insights from a recent report— the Summer Skills Bulletin 2024— covering gender segregation in Irish occupations and its potential to fulfil core skill requirements through effective utilisation of the labour force.
The study unveiled the existence of potential openings for skills in male-dominated sectors, like construction, IT, and engineering, highlighting the need to motivate more women to adopt and stay in these occupations. However, it was also observed that industries traditionally dominated by women— notably healthcare and nursing— also have a few skill shortages.
Predominant skills shortages are noticed in male heavy professions, with engineering, IT project management, and carpentry leading the pack. The report brought attention to the negative impact of many existing working customs on women.
McNaboe went on to mention that amidst work practices that might not change until we have more women employed in these roles, women may be reluctant to enter these industries until organisational changes take place— creating a circular problem.
Despite the seemingly slow pace of progress, McNaboe pointed out areas where changes have already transpired. The financial sector, typically male-dominated, now boasts a strong gender balance. The freshly released study underscores the significant role of gender segregation in professions in amplifying the gender pay gap. Yet, its primary goal rests in the examination of how scrapping this segregation could help optimise the labour supply.
The report drew attention to the limiting effect of longer working hours— especially on those with caregiving responsibilities, typically women— citing it as a potential obstacle to joining or staying in certain fields.
Concluding the study, it was stressed that the plans to enhance female engagement in education and training, especially in the sectors of engineering, technology, maths, and scientific jobs, and craft apprenticeships, are at risk of failure without a drastic re-evaluation of job-related conditions, including work hours, which may drive women away.