Revealed: The most in-demand professionals among prospective employers during 2025

Project managers were the most sought-after professionals, data from IrishJobs reveals

Supervisor in construction appears in the top 10 list for the first time. Engineers ranked sixth, while foreman, electrician, and site manager ranked seventh, eighth, and ninth respectively. File picture. Picture Dan Linehan

Construction-related workers were the most in-demand professionals among prospective employers during 2025 amid increasing demand for housing and infrastructure, new data from hiring platform IrishJobs shows.

Project managers were the most sought-after professionals, according to the firm, with demand growing by 7% compared to 2024. Demand for project managers is particularly acute in the construction and IT sectors.

Accountant, site manager, supervisor, and quantity surveyor made up the remainder of the top five most in-demand roles. Construction-related roles have now topped the most highly sought-after roles for three consecutive years.

Demand for accountants increased year-on-year by 39%, rising from seventh in the top 10 in 2024 to second this year. Supervisor in construction appears in the top 10 list for the first time.

Engineers ranked sixth, while foreman, electrician, and site manager ranked seventh, eighth, and ninth respectively. Nurse ranked tenth, falling from fifth position last year.

Demand for foreman roles increased by 33% while engineer rose by a significant 26%.

“The rankings reflect high levels of demand for skilled professionals across the construction, skilled trades, and engineering sectors to meet the growing needs of the Irish economy for housing and other critical infrastructure,” IrishJobs said.

Head of IrishJobs Christopher Paye said 'our findings show that eight in 10 of most in-demand professions in Ireland in 2025 were in construction and related sectors'. 

Country director of The Stepstone Group Ireland, with responsibility for IrishJobs, Christopher Paye, said despite a slight uptick in unemployment in recent months, there is still expected to be growth in employment over the next 12 months albeit at a slower pace.

“As employers continue to face a tight labour market, skills shortages are likely to persist across many areas of the economy in 2026.

“Our findings show that eight in 10 of most in-demand professions in Ireland in 2025 were in construction and related sectors,” he said.

“With construction topping the most highly sought-after roles for three consecutive years now, it’s clear that this persistent skills shortage is having a major impact on the delivery of housing and critical infrastructure in Ireland.”

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Mr Paye added that the success of the Government’s infrastructure plans will depend on the capacity of the construction and interrelated sectors to meet their talent needs.

In terms of job openings posted by employers in other sectors, senior software engineer is the top job in the IT sector, while data scientist holds its position as the top job in the science sector for the second consecutive year.

Loss prevention manager is the top job in the finance sector, production operator in the manufacturing sector, and customer delivery driver in the logistics sector.