We can’t ignore the brain drain - Brightest and best moving abroad

“Unemployment is falling, investment is on the rise, and the Irish consumer is looking ahead with more confidence.”

That’s according to the latest IBEC report and the employers’ association is predicting it will continue to get better next year, with economic growth forecast as high as 5.7% Despite these encouraging signs, our brightest and best young people are choosing to move abroad. The number of Irish graduates finding work far beyond our shores has risen, according to new data from the Higher Education Authority.

While common sense would dictate that not every young person is moving abroad because they have to, it is also clear that, despite an improving economy, we are still not offering them the kind of future they want in Ireland.

An analysis of last year’s college leavers has found that 12% of honours degree holders were working abroad, compared to 10% the previous year. The HEA figures show that 39% of graduates found employment in Ireland, which is lower than the previous year, and 12% found employment abroad, which is higher. The proportion of honours education degree graduates finding work here fell by almost a fifth this year to 68%, while 16% were working overseas.

There is danger in this brain-drain. These highly qualified graduates are the people we will need when Ireland’s economy moves from recovery phase to sustained growth.

We ignore their departure at our peril.