There was an 8% drop in the number of professional jobs available in Ireland last month when compared with the same time last year, according to a new survey – though the figure was higher than it had been in June.
The latest Employment Monitor from Morgan McKinley shows the availability of professional job opportunities rose by 2.4% to 11,909 month-on-month in July – with pharmaceuticals, medical devices and IT all continuing to be the main drivers of hiring activity in the country.
Compliance, risk and tax experts also remain in demand, while people with language skills – in particular Turkish, Dutch and Nordic languages – were also highly sought after.
The monitor also shows a 2% fall in the number of professionals seeking new roles in July to 7,635 when compared with June, which it largely blamed on seasonal factors.
However, that figure also fell year on year, with 19% fewer professionals seeking roles when compared to July 2015.
Morgan McKinley Ireland Chief Operations Officer Karen O'Flaherty said jobs growth was relatively steady in July, but fewer candidates were actively seeking new roles, which she said was “primarily due to seasonal factors”.
Ms O’Flaherty added: “Concerns remain about the availability of talent, particularly in the IT and multilingual sectors.
“Technology is crossing over every sector and developing hybrid skill sets is more necessary than ever.
“The notion of up skilling is not new but the speed and pace of change, driven by technology, means almost all jobs require additional learning to stay relevant.
“A national skills transfer programme should be prioritised to ensure we have a flexible and resilient workforce.”
On the impact of Brexit on professional job opportunities here, she said “we have yet to see any dramatic change in hiring post Brexit.
“The outcome of the UK referendum is however likely to require a recalibration of hiring forecasts and skillsets for certain employers depending on their sector, size and specialisation,” she concluded.
