Jobs in the EU offer opportunity for those interested in working in a multicultural and multilingual environment

For a small country it is often said that we punch above our weight in many areas, and in order for the Irish voice to be heard in the EU it is of course imperative to have representation across every level. The Government’s A Career for EU strategy, launched in 2021, outlined the importance of Irish citizens working in EU institutions and agencies, and playing a role in the construction of the shared European project.

However, according to the report Ireland is facing a “demographic cliff” in its representation among the staff of the EU’s Institutions, with many senior and long-serving Irish officials due to retire over the coming years.

With this in mind it is important that Ireland remains represented across the institutions. There are seven European institutions, seven EU bodies and over 30 decentralised agencies spread across the EU, which work together to address the common interests of the EU and European people. In other words there are a great number of interesting career opportunities and locations open to graduates interested in pursuing a career in Europe.

The Government has committed to provide tailored support and training to Irish candidates applying for jobs in EU institutions and provide additional resources dedicated to supporting the use of Irish as an official EU language – an example of this would be the scholarship scheme to support postgraduate students to study at the College of Europe in Bruges and Natolin. For young Gaeilgoirs a European job presents a very exciting opportunity to gain career experience beyond the confines of Ireland.

Now is the time for a cohesive, age friendly healthcare system

---

How your legacy gift to Concern Worldwide leaves a better future for some of the world’s poorest families

---

Good governance is critical for effective healthcare investigations

---

Joined-up IT means medics have more time to focus on patient care

---

Brussels, Strasbourg, Luxembourg and Frankfurt (home of the European Central Bank) are the top destinations to consider for those looking to further their careers in Europe, be that in civil service roles or complementary private sector firms.

Barbara Gerstenberger, head of the working life unit at Eurofound (the European Foundation for Improvement of Living and Working Conditions), is interested in the quality of jobs and working life across Europe, which they measure regularly through the European Working Conditions Survey. With the Europe-wide sampling of this large-scale survey, conducted every five years, she says “we can establish how many workers are in good quality jobs, where the positive sides and the resources that you have at your disposal, outweigh the demands of a job”.

For anyone thinking of a career in Europe it may be interesting to note that the countries which offer the best chance of job quality are Austria, Denmark, Germany and Luxembourg. Gerstenberger says these countries have less than a quarter of workers in what, by Eurofound’s metrics, would be considered poor quality jobs.

For those looking to ignite a career in Europe the first step is preparing for the selection procedures. The European Personnel Selection Office (EPSO) tests include a series of rigorous tests aimed at assessing both general and specific competencies. EPSO does not offer preparatory courses for these tests but an industry has sprung up around helping candidates to prepare.

Sean Mernagh, who discusses his life in Brussels elsewhere in this publication, found them key to succeeding after a couple of failed attempts. “There are lots of companies that offer training and private classes for these. They’ll video you giving an answer and then critique you and show you how you can improve it. They really helped me because I’ve tried several times over the years and had never been successful.”

The EPSO website is also a great place to start if you’re looking to get an idea of what sort of career opportunities are available in the EU. It provides listings of vacancies within the EU institutions, bodies and agencies, and details on all the selection procedures managed by EPSO.

The EU Agencies Network is another great source of inspiration and information for anyone considering their options. While Eurofound is the only agency operating in Ireland there is a vast array of agencies spread across the Continent, from the European Medicines Agency in Amsterdam to the European Environment Agency in Copenhagen, to the European Maritime Safety Agency in Lisbon.

From linguists to lawyers and agricultural experts to engineers, the jobs in the EU are wide-ranging, and offer both challenge and opportunity for those interested in working in a multicultural and multilingual environment.