DkIT identifies continuing skill shortages on Computing and Engineering Courses

DkIT identifies continuing skill shortages in Information Technology and projected skill shortages in Engineering. It continues to be the reality that despite the continued growth in employment in the IT and Software sector in Ireland that employers are still experiencing skill shortages in these area at graduate level. This experience is reflected by DkIT where recruitment to courses such as the B.Sc. (Honours) in Computing and the B.Sc. (Honours) in Computing in French remains static.

The message that there are significant career opportunities in these areas in Ireland does not seem to be getting the attention of our Leaving Certificate students. This problem is also magnified by the fact that the application rate for females to IT course throughout the third level sector in general continues to lag significantly behind that for their male counterparts. If Ireland is to sustain its position as a global leader in the area of software development in particular this will requires the third level sector to significantly increase the number of high level graduates that are currently been produced.

Despite the ‘horror stories ‘ regarding employment that continue to surround the construction industry in general there is a message that is not being picked up by the current cohort of Leaving Certificate students.  All reports indicate that from 2016 forward there will be a significant skills shortage in the higher and professional areas in the construction industry with a particular emphasis on those shills required to maintain, renovate, preserve and renew our existing building stock in this country.

One of the core professions in this area is the Building Surveyor. There is only one 3rd level course in Ireland which provides direct entry to the profession of a Registered Building Surveyor and that is the B.Sc. in Building Surveying at DkIT. This course has been offered in various forms by DkIT for nearly 20 years and the majority of the Building Surveyors practicing on the island of Ireland are graduates of this course. A Leaving Certificate student who starts this course in September 2014 will be graduating in June 2018 in time to take the full benefit of the projected skills shortage and the related employment opportunities here in Ireland.

There is a last opportunity to apply through the Central Applications Office for these and other courses offered by DkIT and that is the late application date of 1st May. Don’t miss this opportunity to build a career for yourself that is based on high level third level qualifications in a sector where there are immediate employment opportunities and the prospect of long term career development.