merrion street

In advance of the CAO change of mind deadline on 1st July, the Minister for Education and Skills, Richard Bruton TD and the Minister for Training and Skills, John Halligan TD, encouraged students to consider a career in ICT.

Commenting ahead of the deadline, Minister Bruton said: “The ICT sector currently employs 105,000 people, an increase of 40% since 2010. The sector is growing and changing. Vacancies will continue to arise both within the ICT sector and in the wider economy, and there are many different types of roles to suit different interests and talents.”

Ireland is home to 10 of the top 10 global technology companies, 9 of the 10 global software companies and all of the top 10 ‘born on the internet companies’. In addition, indigenous ICT companies are growing and many are on their way to becoming tech multinationals in their own right.

Minister Halligan noted that “to meet the demand for ICT skills, higher education institutions around the country are offering a range of ICT courses. I would encourage students to consider these courses prior to the CAO change of mind deadline on the 1st of July. Those not applying through the CAO process, can consider courses on offer through Springboard+”.

Over 2,700 free ICT course places are on offer via Springboard+, with part-time and full-time options available. See www.springboardcourses.ie to view courses and eligibility requirements and apply.

Minister Bruton also underlined the importance of parents, saying “Parents are a major influence in their children’s career development and career decision-making and I would encourage parents to help their children explore university and career options in the area of ICT.”

A dedicated website, www.SmartFutures.ie, is also available to support people in the career decision-making process. The site features real life career stories and video interviews with people working in a range of diverse industries including space technology and cybersecurity.

ENDS


Notes to Editors

About Smart Futures
Smart Futures is a collaborative government-industry framework promoting science, technology, engineering and maths (STEM) careers in Ireland. It is managed by Science Foundation Ireland in partnership with Engineers Ireland and over 50 industry and academic partners. It is key to delivering national competitiveness and contributing to job creation as identified under the Action Plan for Jobs 2016. It provides coordinated access for science and technology companies to reach out to young people and their parents to understand what a career in science, technology or engineering actually involves. www.smartfutures.ie


About Springboard+
The Springboard+ initiative in higher education offers free courses at certificate, degree and masters level leading to qualification in areas where there are employment opportunities in the economy. All courses lead to qualifications in enterprise sectors which are growing and need skilled personnel, including information and communications technology (ICT). Qualifications are also available in cross-enterprise skills such as innovation, enterprise/entrepreneurship, digital marketing, and project management. www.springboardcourses.ie