Last week, we noticed something — tech jobs announcements were beginning to slow down to a trickle. That slackening off continued this week, but there was by no means a slackening in the tech sector.
Pure Telecoms, RE:SURE and Effective Software all made tech sector jobs announcements over the last week, but the real story has to be how successful the industry is in Ireland on the whole.
Perhaps the most confidence-inspiring news to break this week was the announcement that job listings in Ireland are up 33pc, with the tech sector, in particular, booming.
IT is opening its doors to a far broader range of talents than ever before, with niche skills such as Angular JS and Bootstrap being increasingly called for.
Furthermore, the success of Career Zoo – which this week announced its 10th event – is testament to the tech sector’s strengths. More people than ever are seeking tech roles, says Career Zoo, and they attend these events to find them.
Indeed, Ireland now offers such a varied tech scene that the country is experiencing its biggest-ever surge in inbound tech talent, with more professionals arriving to take up jobs in Ireland than there are leaving.
But, as always, it’s not just those already in the industry who are benefitting from its successes.
The tech sector is clearly a massive draw for students and school leavers. This week, it was announced that there has been a huge surge in those taking up science subjects, indicating that students know that tech is the future.
And those interested in the tech sector are getting involved at younger and younger ages. This week, we heard from Niamh Scanlon, 12, who’s over in London taking part in the incredible Outbox Incubator.
She’s there to develop two fantastic apps she’s built using skills she learned through CoderDojo. The tech sector future may be in safe hands.
Of course, it’s not all candy and roses in the industry.
Women are still drastically underrepresented in the tech sector. This week, we ran an infographic detailing just how off kilter the gender balance is in Europe, and highlighting why we need more women to get involved.
The short answer? Gender diversity benefits companies. And businesses with a woman on the executive team are more likely to have higher valuations at both first and last funding.
Although it’s not just lack of diversity that’s damaging to the tech sector. The robots aren’t helping either.
Almost half of the businesses in Ireland have reduced the number of employees on the books by replacing them with machines and other automated systems. Is it only a matter of time before tech employees are replaced, too?
After planting that grim thought in your head, here’s something to cheer you up.
Thousands of students received their Leaving Cert results this week. The night before results came out, we posted 10 memes to lighten the mood, throwing students back to the days when they still had exams to worry about – and reminding them just how little they needed to worry.
For more information on any of these stories, follow the links below.
1. Job listings up 33pc on last year
The number of professional jobs available in Ireland is continuing to rise, with fintech and IT still the driving forces.
2. Career Zoo 10 to have new focus
Dublin’s Convention Centre is to once more play host to Career Zoo, with the tech recruitment event setting up shop on 12 September for its 10th event since launching in 2011.
3. Ireland experiencing big surge in inbound tech talent
Ireland is benefiting from one of its biggest-ever surges of inbound talent migration, with 20pc more professionals coming to Ireland than leaving the country in Q2, according to research from LinkedIn.
4. Science and foreign languages see surge in Leaving Cert
Amid the excitement surrounding another year of Leaving Cert results in Ireland, an education body lauded the increased uptake of languages and science subjects in secondary school.
5. 6 things I learned in one week at Outbox Incubator
Outbox executive Niamh Scanlon, 12, tells us about her first week at the London incubator for young women in STEM.
6. Why we need more women in tech
More women are in education than ever before, but the numbers pursuing STEM subjects are actually falling. Why?
7. The robots are coming!
Almost half of businesses in Ireland (48pc) have automated business functions or are in the process of replacing people with software and machines, according to new research.
8. 10 memes to help students survive Leaving Cert results
Leaving Cert results day passed this week and, to ‘celebrate’, we gathered together 10 funny things to spread some smiles among the masses of nervous students.
Main image, via Shutterstock
