Five IDA-backed projects will create 369 new jobs in Dublin, the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment, Ms Harney, has said. Announcing the group of projects in the high-tech sector, Ms Harney said internationally traded services projects were increasingly important in the Republic's employment growth strategy.
"Within this, more than half of all employment is in software, with Ireland coming to hold a leading position in Europe," Ms Harney added. "Between 15,000 and 20,000 new jobs will be created in internationally traded services in Ireland over the next four years."
Exact Holding BV, the Dutch software company, is to hire 150 people over the next three years in Blackrock, Co Dublin. More than 90 per cent of the jobs will be for graduates and all are to receive intensive training, the firm said. The Dublin operation will provide core software development, and redevelop, re-engineer and provide maintenance on existing products.
Visio, the computer drawing software company, said it would more than double its Dublin workforce to 170 as part of an expansion. The company plans to create 100 new permanent jobs for skilled graduates in the science, software and engineering fields.
"The success of our international headquarters here in Dublin has been incredible," said the firm's managing director for international operations, Mr Philip Flynn.
Visio's activities in Ireland account for almost half of the company's global business and includes research and development, manufacturing, localisation, customer service and customer support for Europe, Latin America, the Middle East and Africa.
"These new jobs will support our aggressive growth, spurred on by our recent launch of the. . . new generation of our business diagramming and technical drawing product family," Mr Flynn added.
Wall Data Incorporated of the US plans to generate 40 new jobs over three years, establishing an operations centre to service its European business. The company said yesterday the facility's responsibility would include support of new products, development, customisation and localisation of existing products, and management of a pan-European electronic distribution system and the provision of a centralised European technical support function.
Diva Technologies, also a US company, which sells and supports personal computer monitors, will employ 40 people at a new shared services centre in Dublin. The centres will provide back office support and customer services such as warranty administration, distribution, and accountancy functions.
Kerridge Computer Systems, a subsidiary of a British company, will recruit 39 new employees in an expansion. The firm develops software for the automotive distribution industry, including Autoline, which tracks vehicles and controls their importation and distribution.
Some 504 students will today begin courses in the newly-created VEC diploma in telesales. Callcentres is one of the fastest-growing areas in the technology centre, and there had been concerns that Irish colleges and universities could not keep up with the demand for trained staff.
The two-year course, which is free and comes with a £2,000 Government grant, will focus on fluency to a business standard in a foreign language. Of those who begin this week, 349 have opted for French, 130 for German, 20 for Spanish and five for Italian.
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