{"id":10073,"date":"2025-06-24T06:50:09","date_gmt":"2025-06-24T06:50:09","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/10073\/"},"modified":"2025-06-24T06:50:09","modified_gmt":"2025-06-24T06:50:09","slug":"its-a-great-time-to-be-a-graduate-in-ireland-the-irish-times","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/10073\/","title":{"rendered":"It\u2019s a great time to be a graduate in Ireland \u2013 The Irish Times"},"content":{"rendered":"

For most graduates<\/a>, the move from full-time education<\/a> into a job<\/a> and career is the biggest transition yet. It can be daunting. <\/p>\n

In times of recession, people often defer a move into the workplace, instead seeking refuge in a postgraduate<\/a> course. But that won\u2019t be a problem for the class of 2025, because the employment outlook is very positive.<\/p>\n

\u201cCompanies want graduates both to fill vacancies, yes, but they also want to hire them for all the benefits that they bring, including their knowledge, skills and their new ways of working and thinking,\u201d says Meadhbh Costello, senior policy executive for education, skills and innovation policy with the Irish Business and Employers Confederation (Ibec<\/a>). \u201cMore than half of companies plan to take on graduates in the coming years.\u201d<\/p>\n

Sam Dooley, country director of the StepStone Group Ireland, with responsibility for IrishJobs.ie<\/a>, says that the Irish economy has performed well this year.<\/p>\n

\u201cIndicators show that the labour market remains at, or close to, full capacity,\u201d he says. \u201cThis strong economic backdrop positions the economy well to weather the new era of volatility ahead prompted by a more protectionist trading environment, and should minimise the potential impact of hiring disruption in the jobs market for graduates.\u201d<\/p>\n

Dooley says demand for skilled graduates in the construction sector has continued to rise in the first half of 2025. \u201cThis is due to a demand for specialised talent to meet Ireland\u2019s ambitious homebuilding and infrastructure targets,\u201d he says.<\/p>\n

\u201cThis isn\u2019t surprising, as, in 2024, jobs for grads in construction were up by 36 per cent. So far this year, the most in-demand graduate roles were in construction and related sectors, with graduate engineers the most in-demand, followed closely by graduate quantity surveyors.<\/p>\n

\u201cRising in demand are positions for graduates in health and safety, and civil engineering. As the construction sector continues to evolve, with an increased focus on innovation and technology, it\u2019s clear that more professionals with technical and specialised skills will be needed to keep pace with this rapid growth in demand.\u201d <\/p>\n

Joan McNaboe, who leads the skills and labour market research at Solas (the further education and training agency), says the economy is strong, even with the threat of US tariffs.<\/p>\n

Employers today are less focused on what degree a graduate has and more focused on the fact that they have a degree, proving that they can learn and grow, she says. <\/p>\n

\u201cWe asked recruiters what they are looking for in graduates, and they mostly spoke of the \u2018soft skills\u2019: good communication, leadership, problem-solving and teamwork,\u201d says McNaboe. \u201cThey also want digital readiness, as digital literacy is needed across every sector.\u201d<\/p>\n

Costello agrees that, while employers are reporting skills and staff shortages in a number of areas including healthcare and construction, they\u2019re perhaps even more focused on soft skills. <\/p>\n

\u201cEmployers use different words to describe different skills but ultimately they want people who are resilient to a shifting workplace. We are constantly faced with different challenges and working with different people, so it\u2019s important to have emotional resilience and intelligence in order to adapt to these scenarios,\u201d she says.<\/p>\n

Artificial intelligence is accelerating these labour market needs. \u201cWith AI comes a need for an adaptable workforce who can respond to technical changes,\u201d says McNaboe.<\/p>\n

Green skills \u2013 skills and abilities that help to reduce human impact on the environment \u2013 are also in high demand, McNaboe says.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe produced a report<\/a> which suggests that about 75 per cent of current jobs in Ireland require some level of green skills. The jobs that have the highest share of green skills are showing the most growth. Ireland has a lot of catching up to do in order to meet its 2030 environmental targets, so there will be opportunities across the economy.\u201d<\/p>\n

Jobs in this area may include, for instance, engineers and construction professionals to build and maintain renewable technologies; energy trading jobs in business; and, simply, graduates with strong communication skills to help business and society understand new technologies and environmental projects or laws. <\/p>\n

Looking at the news, you\u2019d be forgiven for thinking that companies have dumped any consideration of environmental, social and governance (ESG) issues. These typically entail companies investing in communities, charities or underrepresented minorities, including ensuring that people from financially disadvantaged backgrounds have opportunities to progress. <\/p>\n

This move away from ESG, however, is primarily a US phenomenon. Graduates still value it, and they want to work for companies with ethics and values that they share. <\/p>\n

\u201cThe Trump effect is not showing up in Ireland, as we looked at vacancies in the area of corporate social responsibility, and they came up strongly as an area of skills need,\u201d says McNaboe.<\/p>\n

She says that about three quarters of employers are facing some kind of skills gap, \u201cwhether that\u2019s a struggle to fill particular vacancies or find someone with the right skill set, or perhaps where an existing employee does not have the skills to fill the job (which may have fundamentally changed due to technological developments\u201d. <\/p>\n

\u201cThere\u2019s lots of mobility in this tight labour market,\u201d says McNaboe.<\/p>\n

Of course, graduate salaries are almost invariably at the lower end of the pay scale. They always have been, but in a time of inflation, with the cost of living biting and accommodation scarce, this is a real challenge for graduates. <\/p>\n

\u201cWe are hearing this from employers,\u201d says McNaboe. \u201cIn regions outside the big cities, however, there are lots of opportunities in healthcare, teaching and many other industries, and these have the advantage of being slightly cheaper to live in.\u201d <\/p>\n

Key stats and facts from the HEA National Employer Survey<\/a> 2024<\/p>\n