17th Mar 2014

Work Experience one of Key Actions in ICT Skills Plan 2014

Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation Richard Bruton TD, and Minister for Education and Skills Ruairí Quinn TD,  published the ICT Skills Action Plan 2014 on March 14, with the aim to fill 44,500 jobs for ICT professionals over the years to 2018.

Three strategic targets have been set:

  • Increase the output of high-level graduates
  • Enhance ICT capacity and awareness in the education system
  • Ensure Ireland maintains a strong ICT talent pool and promote Ireland as a centre for high-level ICT Skills

Actions to achieve these targets include:

  • The provision of an extra 1,250 ICT undergraduate places to be made available annually from 2014, as part of the Government’s drive to increase the level of highly skilled professionals domestically, aimed at ensuring that three quarters of job openings can be filled from the Irish education system by 2018, up from 45% in 2011 and 60% now
  • The issue a total of up to 2,000 work permits a year to ICT professionals with relevant skills with an increased focus on recent Irish emigrants and European Economic Area nationals
  • Increasing the retention rate of students on ICT related courses
  • The launch of a further round of ICT skills conversion courses
  • The promotion of career opportunities in ICT to primary and second level students* with industry support
  • The roll out of courses in digital media literacy, programming and coding in the new Junior Cycle Student Awards

Full story here. The ICT Skills Action Plan 2014 is available by clicking the image here: