Nearly a decade after falling apart, the property sector is crying out for graduates again
Construction has one of the highest vacancy rates for entry-level roles.
NEARLY A DECADE after the bottom fell out of the Irish property sector, the construction industry is apparently teeming with job opportunities for third-level graduates again.
According to an analysis by recruitment website IrishJobs.ie, the construction, architecture and property sector has one of the highest vacancy rates for graduate-level roles.
Companies in the building sector are crying out for entry-level workers, especially in urban centres like Dublin, Limerick and Cork where there is high demand for commercial and residential property.
As previously reported by Fora, there is a shortage of certain skills in the sector like project management and quantity surveying.
With the clock ticking on the CAO deadline, this year’s batch of Leaving Certificate students have until tomorrow evening to apply to go to college in September.
With that in mind, IrishJobs.ie said it urges students to consider taking up subjects related to the “most in-demand fields and skills”.
An analysis of entry-level vacancies listed on the website between January and December of last year showed that the industries with the most opportunities for graduates are: banking and financial services; accountancy; IT and tech; engineering and utilities; and construction.
Financial services
Commenting on the results of the study, IrishJobs.ie general manager Orla Moran said the availability of graduate roles in those sectors “reflects the old and new strengths of Ireland’s economy”.
“Ireland is on course to remain the eurozone’s fastest growing economy for the next six years,” she said, adding that the recruitment website expects more opportunities for graduates between now and 2024.
Moran said students considering a career in finance in particular “will be making a wise investment in their future”.
“Ireland is increasingly regarded as a European hub for financial services. We are a world leader in fund administration and aircraft leasing, and a growing insurance and fintech player,” she said.
“With Brexit, some UK-based finance companies could even migrate to Ireland to establish new EU headquarters, further increasing employment opportunities.”
Moran also said that skills applicable to the tech industry – “one of Ireland’s greatest assets – will also become increasingly useful.
“The world’s top 10 internet companies and sixteen of the top 20 global software companies have headquarters or offices here,” she said.
“Knowledge of maths, science, programming or engineering is incredibly valuable, and most companies in the industry are willing to pay graduates excellent starting salaries for ‘disruptive’ skill sets like data analytics and artificial intelligence.”
