The urgent need for additional technology skills in the Republic will be highlighted in June, when an Irish technology career exhibition in the US showcases job opportunities here.
Five leading multinational investors in Ireland have told event organisers they plan to employ 10,000 people in the Republic in the next two years.
The event, taking place in New York and Boston, will feature more than 50 of the Republic's leading high-tech companies. There will be equal representations from the indigenous and multinational sectors.
Organised by IT Staffing, a US-based IT recruitment service, in association with Enterprise Ireland, it is hoped the exhibition will draw 10,000 attendees from the software, hardware and electronics industries. The event is free to prospective candidates, and they can prearrange interviews with participating companies at the IT Staffing website.
Mr Shay Clancy, director of European Operations at IT Staffing, says there are already 25 companies signed up to the event along with a number of corporate sponsors. These include PricewaterhouseCoopers, Oman Shipping, a prominent Irish bank to offer personal finance advice, and one of the "top four" players in the property market.
"Surprisingly there has been huge interest from American nationals following an extensive advertising campaign. I would say there has been a 60:40 divide between foreign nationals and Irish exPats. The exhibition provides a platform to answer all the questions these people might have about working and locating in Ireland."
Already Mr Clancy says IT Staffing has been approached by Northern Irish and English industrial development authorities to establish a joint event with Irish companies next time around.
Participating companies have also said they would be keen to repeat the event within the next six to eight months, assuming the success of the inaugural showcase.
The programme has been endorsed by Opportunity Ireland, a joint initiative of Enterprise Ireland and the Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment. It has been set up with the specific goal of attracting Irish graduates home from overseas to take advantage of emerging opportunities in the technology industry.
According to Ms Jackie FitzGerald, programme manager with Opportunity Ireland: "Ireland's software and electronics sectors are growing quickly, creating early opportunity for senior responsibility, rapid advancement and high reward for the key players in some of the most promising companies. Young, modern Irish-owned companies offer particular attractions to experienced high-tech professionals."
The Irish Technology Career Expo takes place in the Sheraton Towers Hotel, New York, on June 14th and 15th, and in the Hynes Convention Centre, Boston, on June 17th and 18th. Further details are available on the IT Staffing website at www.itireland.com
