Skills shortage forces IT firms to recruit abroad, say experts

IT giants such as Google and Facebook are facing a skills shortage in Ireland that is forcing them to go abroad to recruit staff.

Migration experts at visafirst.com have said that Google is just one of a number of IT multinationals that have encountered a skills shortage in Ireland of late and has had to go overseas to source staff with the skills necessary for their various vacancies in IT specialist roles.

For example, Google, which has its European headquarters in Dublin, was granted 49 work permits for non-nationals to work in Ireland in 2006, but by last year this had risen to 149.

Edwina Shanahan, manager with visafirst.com, said companies in the IT sector here are finding that the skill set they require is not present in the Irish workforce.

“There has been un-precedented demand from the IT industry demanding skilled staff and permits for non-nationals as the skill level required is just not available here in Ireland at the moment,” said Ms Shanahan.

“Companies in the IT sector have announced over 1,500 vacancies this year that have yet to be filled, and our own experience is that, in a large number of cases, the employer ends up having to look overseas.”

The migration experts pointed out that other employers in the sector have ramped up their recruitment of non-national and non- EU workers in the last five years. Other major players include IBM Ireland, Infosys Technologies, and Wipro Technologies.

Meanwhile, new research conducted among microelectronics firms here has forecast that 1,300 jobs will be generated in the sector over the next three years.

The research, carried out by Midas Ireland, the industry led organisation responsible for promoting the microelectronics sector, also showed there were more than 50 open opportunities in the sector today in Ireland. The sector also shows a strong loyalty to graduates, with a target to hire more than 200 for graduate programmes throughout this year and next.

Currently employing more than 8,000 people in more than 55 companies, the microelectronics industry is a significant employer and major contributor to the Irish economy.

In addition to highlighting the jobs potential in the sector, the study of Midas member firms also shows strong levels of continued investment, with 86% of companies confirming they have made operational and employment investment at their Irish operations over the last two years.