Getting the skill set right

According to the latest LinkedIn research, the top skills required by employers in Ireland are cloud and distributed computing, statistical analysis and data-mining, web architecture, network and information security and SEO marketing. Completing the top 10 were marketing-campaign management, software-revision control systems, middleware and integration software, mobile development, and recruiting.

The annual list is compiled by analysing recruitment activity on LinkedIn and the latest edition uncovered a number of trends in relation to the Irish jobs market. “Demand remains very high for tech skills and this is due to the fact that these skills are no longer confined to the tech industry; they are needed in nearly every industry and county in the country,” says Wendy Murphy, senior HR director, LinkedIn EMEA.

The economic recovery is also evident from the increased demand for marketing and recruitment skills, according to Murphy. “One of the skills that experienced a spike in hiring activity was recruitment, which was in response to firms expanding during the year,” she says. “Similarly, professionals with marketing skills have been heavily in demand in 2016, with marketing campaign management appearing on the list of the top 10 skills for the first time.”

Call to action

The continued demand for tech skills should be seen as a call to action. “While demand for some skills expires every couple of years, our data highlights the ongoing demand for tech skills across every industry in Ireland. While this is good news for science, technology, engineering, and maths [STEM] graduates, professionals going back to further education should consider these areas when considering which skills to acquire in order to be more marketable. STEM needs to be driven from a very early stage. We need to get more females into STEM as well.”

Law firm William Fry’s employment partner Catherine O’Flynn agrees but also sees another dimension when it comes to skills demand. “We need to constantly invest in talent and education,” she says. “What our clients often talk about in relation to local employees is their enthusiasm and strong work ethic. They are also looking for soft skills. They want people who can fit in with their culture, who are team players and problem-solvers. When it comes to harder skills, they are looking for technology skills but they are also looking for languages, both computer and spoken. There is a need for students to brush up on that.”

While Ireland has a deep pool of talent, many companies are forced to bring employees into this country and the process for that could be improved, according to O’Flynn. “There is an issue with work permits,” she says. “This has improved with the Trusted Partner Scheme, which allows fast-tracking of work permits. Personal taxation is also an issue and can be a bone of contention.”