It is no exaggeration to say that for employers, this is probably the most competitive market for engineering professionals we have ever experienced in Ireland. Our clients across manufacturing, engineering, construction and life sciences - such as medical device companies - are reporting major difficulties in attracting job seekers. Every organisation is feeling it as they struggle to find skilled and experienced engineers such as quality engineers, mechanical engineers, R&D engineers and electrical engineers as hiring requirements soar across most manufacturing and engineering businesses in Ireland.
Apart from talent shortages, engineering in Ireland also has a huge, and in our view, unacceptable gap when it comes to gender diversity in the workforce. With female engineers representing just 12% of the profession in Ireland, latest data from the Higher Education Authority indicates that 23% of engineering graduates are female. Breaking down barriers and encouraging girls to enter the profession and young women to remain in the sector is crucial and will go some way towards filling the skills gap that is set to prevail for the foreseeable future.
