Cloud, data analytics and digital marketing were the top skills that got Irish professionals hired during 2015, according to LinkedIn. And it appears science, technology, engineering and maths (STEM) skills will dominate hiring trends through 2016 and beyond.
LinkedIn revealed that technology skills dominated the list, with huge demand for professionals in Ireland with expertise in the area of cloud computing, big data, digital marketing and IT security.
Companies were still recruiting candidates with these skills well into the final months of last year, which means that professionals with one or more of these skills are likely to continue to garner interest from recruiters this year.
‘Technology skills are highly valued by Irish employers, which may not come as a complete surprise given the growth in the sector in Ireland last year’
– WENDY MURPHY, LINKEDIN
The insights were gleaned from LinkedIn’s Economic Graph, a digital representation of the global economy – which provides LinkedIn with insight into labour markets.
“Technology skills are highly valued by Irish employers, which may not come as a complete surprise given the growth in the sector in Ireland last year,” explained Wendy Murphy, senior HR director for LinkedIn Europe, Middle East and Africa.
“It is a positive sign though for science, technology, engineering, and maths (STEM) graduates that there is still huge demand for professionals with these skills.”
STEM dominates global workforce demand
LinkedIn revealed that, similar to Ireland, statistical analysis and data mining were the second most in-demand skills globally.
In the 14 countries LinkedIn studied, STEM skills made up the majority of the top 25 list – a clarion call for Irish policymakers to do something about the technology (T) and engineering (E) subjects that are missing in the Irish education landscape.
LinkedIn said that numerous countries are experiencing jobs growth after emerging from recession and this is reflected by the inclusion of professionals with recruitment experience in LinkedIn’s list of top 25 skills.
From an Irish perspective, this is highly evident, with recruiters and HR professionals both in demand by companies.
“Our analysis also highlights that big data remains a priority for corporate Ireland. Our list paints a picture of a world overwhelmed with information, with businesses scrambling to store, retrieve, and make sense of it all,” said Murphy.
“For anyone looking to retrain, the top 25 skills gives a good sense of what employers are looking for when considering going back to further education. We would encourage people to ensure that they include their skills on their profile to make it easier for potential employers to find them.”
Data analytics image via Shutterstock
