Free tech courses set to meet job demand

Most of the 1,000 vacancies in the hi-tech industry can be filled by graduates of free courses announced by the Government and employers yesterday.

With the world’s 10 biggest names in technology, including Google and Facebook, already based in Ireland and Adobe announcing an expansion of its operations last week, the move is part of a wider plan to ensure people are available for future jobs growth.

The 17 courses, offering 750 places, will include 12-week placements with top employers in the international information and communications technology (ICT) sector in Ireland, including Google, Ericsson, EMC, Microsoft, IBM, Cisco and Dell, as well as bookmakers Paddy Power and leaders in healthcare, recruitment, electronic media and many other sectors with strong ICT requirements.