Extra work visas and graduates’ plan to help create 44,500 jobs in ICT sector

The Government is targeting 44,500 jobs in the information and communications technology (ICT) sector through additional work visas and an increase in the number of graduates feeding into the sector.

Education Minister Ruairi Quinn, and Minister for Jobs, Richard Bruton, are working with industry partners in an effort to make, “Ireland the most attractive location in the world for ICT talent”.

The plan will see an additional 2,000 work permits issued per year to ICT professionals with relevant skills in order to meet the demands of the industry up to 2018.

A shortage of people with the correct skills has been a limiting factor to the growth of the ICT industry in Ireland and across the world, according to Mr Bruton.

“The ICT sector is a key part of the Government’s Action Plan for Jobs, and over the past two years we have seen significant jobs growth in this area. If we are to sustain and build on this it is crucial that we deal with one of the biggest issues facing the ICT industry worldwide — skills shortages,” he said.

While increasing the number of visas will attract skilled workers here, the ultimate goal of the plan is that Irish universities will be able to supply nearly 74% of suitably skilled candidates by 2018. Mr Quinn is to add 1,250 undergraduate ICT places per year to higher education institutions and increase the number of ICT conversion courses.

Minister Quinn is also hoping to educate people at a junior level by rolling-out courses in Digital media literacy, programming and coding in the new Junior Cycle Student Awards.

This move was welcomed by EMC Ireland senior director of HR, Sarah Abbott, who said that this will pay dividends as disruptive new technology arrives in the work place.