ALL THE SIGNS are that the buoyancy in the electronics industry in Ireland is set to continue into the next century. Since 1980, Ireland has been the recipient of 40 per cent of the new investment in European electronics made by US companies.

Over the last six years, the electronics sector has been the fastest growing sector in the country. Today, 300 electronic companies employ more than 33,000 people, according to IDA figures.

"The electronics boom is set to continue for the long term," says Adrian McGennis, group manager of the Marlborough Group recruitment company. The fact that the major companies including Hewlett-Packard and Intel are continuing to make such huge investments here is evidence of this," he says.

According to the IDA, however, while 1995's record level of job creation in the sector (an 11 per cent increase over 1994) is expected to be repeated this year due to a large number of new projects, more normal job-creation levels in technology-related sectors will return by next year.

The electronics industry in Ireland is engaged in a range of endeavours, from wafer design and fabrication, systems, components and peripherals to communications, networks and software. A majority of employees in the sector are either degree, diploma or certificate holders.

Intel, which manufactures Pentium processors and other components, PC motherboards and PC platforms, is the country's largest employer in the private manufacturing sector. Half of the company's 2,800 employees are third-level graduates.

Almost one-quarter of college graduates hired by Intel between 1990 and 1996 are electronic engineers, while a further 28 per cent are mechanical, electrical, production or industrial engineers. Interestingly, business graduates represent 16 per cent of the company's graduate intake.

The multinational electronic companies have established in Ireland partly because of the large numbers of highly educated young people here. But those numbers are not large enough: according to Frank Burke, director general of the Institution of Engineers of Ireland, there is a shortage of electronics and software graduates both in Ireland and worldwide - and these shortages will continue.

Although companies, including Intel, say that they are experiencing no difficulty in locating suitably qualified personnel, it is understood that one major international company, already represented in Ireland, recently decided to forego a major expansion here because it was unable to guarantee enough suitably qualified electronics and software graduates.

This year, for the first time, the Marlborough Group has been approached by companies seeking new graduate recruits. "In the past our work has always been with experienced personnel. Companies are now finding it difficult to find well qualified and experienced technicians and engineers, so they are taking on raw graduates," McGennis says.

Burke perceives a need for more third-level places in electronic and software engineering; however, he says, student demand for these courses remains relatively low. "There is a bias in favour of other professions - the law, accountancy and medicine - that does not reflect the job opportunities," he says. "Employment prospects in electronic and software engineering are high and they will be higher in the future."

Burke, who believes that greater efforts need to be made at second level to encourage youngsters in to this sector, says that creating more third-level places demands a planned approach. "To teach electronic and software engineering you need state-of-the-art facilities which call for a huge financial investment. It's far cheaper to produce an arts graduate."

GIVEN THAT job opportunities in the area will continue to grow, it is imperative that the Government, the agencies concerned with employment and third-level institutions, including the RTCs, co-operate to plan new programmes, he says.

An area of concern to the industry is the small number of women who are going into engineering. Some companies, including Intel, are making interventions at second level to encourage more women into the sector.

Intel's "Academic Council" which is chaired by a senior manager, works closely with a number of colleges to select recipients of Intel scholarships, to designate Intel mentors for students, to advise schools on setting up and operating the Intel scholarship programmes, to co-ordinate summer work and to promote Women in Technology initiatives in schools, colleges and universities.

However, a source within the industry points out that the real decisions about future career paths are made just after Junior Cert. Youngsters who drop science and honours maths subjects at Leaving Cert are ruling themselves out of well paid jobs in the electronics industry, says the source, since they will lack the subjects required to take up engineering or science at third level.

Graduate engineers apart, there are many opportunities for technicians in the sector. "A lot of the machinery is automated and requires constant monitoring - this work is done by diploma-level technicians," McGennis explains. "Mechanical engineering technicians are highly sought after."

Technicians can expect annual starting salaries of £11,500 to £12,000, which could rise to £15,000 after two years. Graduates meanwhile, can expect to start at around £13,000 (rising to £17,000 after two years), although companies occasionally pay more for an exceptional graduate.

"Sometimes new graduates and diploma holders are disappointed with these salary levels, but the important thing is to get into the industry and gain experience," McGennis advises. "The rates of progression are excellent and the multinationals offer people strong career paths with extensive further education and training opportunities."

The industry, McGennis says, is looking for qualified people who are committed, enthusiastic, flexible, can show initiative and who have g9od lateral minds and communication skills.

"Flexibility is hugely important," he says. "Gone are the days when a production engineer could expect to spend 20 years working on the same line. It's a fast changing business and people must be prepared to change with it."