The Covid-19 pandemic forced many of us to live our lives online. We used laptops and desktops to work from home, Zoom, Skype and FaceTime to stay in touch with friends and family, and streaming sites to keep ourselves entertained.
It’s no wonder, then, that the tech industry continues to grow, despite the health emergency’s impact on economies around the world.
In Ireland, the ICT industry employs more than 37,000 people and generates €35 billion in exports annually, according to IDA Ireland, the agency responsible for the attraction and retention of inward foreign direct investment into Ireland.
Technology is a sector with strong earning potential, according to figures from Grad Ireland, with the average salary for an entry-level job coming in at about €30,000.
That is one of the reasons why more and more people seek to pursue a career in the field.
Demand
And with the demand for skilled workers who can meet the needs of the sector increasing, the number of pathways through which people can study tech skills has also increased.
Previously primarily taught in higher education institutions, there are now many more avenues to study in the sector outside of that, including further education or apprenticeships.
Andrew Finn, director of academic affairs and programme development at Fastrack to Information Technology (FIT), said there has been a "tangible increase" in recent years in the provision of further education and training.
This training has had a specific focus on in-demand tech skills, he added.
“With a national effort under way on the visibility of options on reskilling and upskilling as opposed to a historically unbalanced focus on programmes of an academic nature, this has led in a positive way to a far broader awareness of tech training options available to learners,” he said.
“To sustain this sector and ensure continued growth, a ready supply of individuals with contemporary knowledge and skills is vital. Our further and higher education infrastructure are the means by which we inspire and motivate people to uptake and participate in tech education.”
Currently, there are more than 200 tech courses and apprenticeships, in various areas within the sector.
Mr Finn believes the increased options for tech education is beneficial, and in fact, essential, to the success of the sector.
It allows for practically minded individuals for whom sitting in a classroom for four years is unappealing to have access to a growing industry in a manner which best suits their way of learning.
“In recent years, further education providers have become better at disseminating programme options that leave individuals’ work-ready upon completion,” he said.
“In many cases, these programmes are of shorter duration and are skills-focused rather than an honours degree that could take up to four years to complete.”
This willingness to accept those individuals without a university degree also provides a “whole spectrum of diversity” that might previously have been missed, he said.
“This in itself will bring individuals who are highly motivated and who bring innovation and fresh thinking to the role. It cannot be underestimated how important it is to drive a culture of innovation and contribution in the tech sector,” he added.
But do you need to have an aptitude for technology in order to get a job in the field? Not necessarily, he says.
While talent in the area certainly would be beneficial, a lack of it shouldn’t act as a barrier to the sector. The main criteria most courses require is students who have a desire and motivation to work hard and learn.
“Within the sector, most teams and businesses want people who can communicate properly, who can work as part of a team as well as autonomously. Employers value a broader skillset too,” he said.
“Varied roles in tech are not always technically focused, so there is always the potential for those with broad skills in areas such as project management, HR, training or process improvement along with the more technically focused skills sets for roles such as software developer, network engineer or cybersecurity analyst,” he added.
Opportunities
Some of the other jobs available under the ICT branch include data analysts, data scientist, IT consultant, IT technical support officer and information systems manager.
However, as technology is ever-evolving, so too are the job opportunities, particularly in Ireland.
Many multibillion corporations, including Facebook and Google, have their European headquarters based in the State.
“The tech sector in Ireland provides an opportunity for people to build exciting careers, which creates economic growth and competence in the company,” he said.
With new trends emerging – specifically cloud computing, machine learning and artificial intelligence – there are additional options for those seeking to educate themselves in this regard.
This means businesses are moving to managing data in the cloud as opposed to a server in their building, while they are also moving to automate services and increase data collection.
“These technologies enable timely access to data, which can provide business insight and actionable intelligence. We also see strong moves to a business focus on development operations that manages the end-to-end development process,” he said.
“Nobody knows what’s around the corner but it’s likely they are going to continue at pace due to the evolving nature of technology. Businesses want to be competitive in the marketplace.”
There has also been increased focus on cybersecurity in recent years, which is expected to be sustained in years to come.
Ransomware attacks are becoming more sophisticated, with the recent attack on the HSE a prime example, resulting in a need for increased staff numbers who are educated in that speciality.
The move to emerging technologies means there is a “deficit” in the skillset provided, giving a great opportunity for individuals educated in technology.
“In the next few years, we expect that new programme offerings in further education will become more targeted in terms of outcomes that enable people to manage and manipulate these leading contemporary technologies,” he said.
“There is expected to be sustained growth in the sector, resulting in acute pressures there. FIT is currently drafting a new suite of tech apprenticeship offerings that aim to address these skills needs.”
