The tech sector still a promising one in Ireland. Check out our latest article to discover the average salary for 2021 and the hottest areas
After a challenging 2020, we cannot say that we are facing a less traumatic start in 2021. Besides the economic downturns all over the world, the tech sector still a promising one. Particularly in Ireland, it is an area which still hiring and even opening more positions. Working from home forced some companies to face digital transformation seriously and invest in technology to enable their employees to work from anywhere.
As we head into 2021, the Irish economy still in a good position. Brexit offers a significant opportunity, as many global international companies wishing to access the European market will turn to alternative options rather than the UK. Ireland’s large Pharmaceutical and Technology sectors will benefit along with their vendor ecosystems, bringing more high-value jobs to the Irish economy as well.
According to the “Ireland salary guide and recruitment trends” published by the Recruiters.ie some IT positions are expecting salary inflation compared with 2019. We gathered these data aligned with our instructor’s expertise to help you with solid information to guide your IT career decision in 2021. The IT sector also represents a great opportunity for people who have suffered layoffs as a result of the pandemic. With the right qualification under your belt, you can be potentially ready for an entry-level position in 6 months.
The Tech Sector Overall
Ireland is famous for its Tech Sector, and it is fast becoming the global technology hub of choice and, according to IDA Ireland, the ICT industry generates €35bn in exports every year. According to them, it is expected an inflation rate of around 7.5% on base salaries. A growing IT economy means the need for a larger IT workforce and the ability to offer bigger salaries to attract talent. For IT professionals it means a more competitive market and an opportunity to grow their careers and even consider a transition.
Data from the USA in relation to 2020 shows the same positive figures for the IT sector. Last year ended on a high note for the US tech sector as tech companies added more than 22,000 workers and tech occupations throughout the economy grew by 391,000 positions, according to the CompTIA tech jobs report.
*Source: CompTIA Job Report 2021
High Tech Salaries
Let us have a look in detail at the updated salary figure that we have from Ireland. The salary should not be the only motivation when thinking about career perspective, but it can provide us a great overview of the situation and hottest areas and professions in high demand.
The graphic below shows the average salary per year, all figures are represented in thousands and in euros, including Dublin and the rest of Ireland. It is important to pay attention to the years of experience, as this can be a critical point for some highly specialised positions.
PMO and Project Management
Project management and project management office (PMO) can be broadly divided into technical and functional. Technical project management focuses on either deploying software applications or building them in software engineering environments. Since March 2020 we have been observing a surge in professionals interested in Project Management courses at New Horizons Ireland as well. Courses such as ITIL Foundation, PMI, and Microsoft Project were extremely popular in 2020.
Project management remains an attractive area to work in for many professionals and with this in mind, it is expected salary inflation of 3.5% towards 2021. There is a supply of candidates transitioning with cross-training from functional to technical, which meets some of this demand as well as the plentiful supply of contingent workers. Check the salary figures below.
Software Engineering
Technology is playing a key role during this pandemic, allowing businesses to continue working and serving customers. This has shown the importance of skilled IT workers to drive critical products, operations, and strategic initiatives. However, sourcing IT professionals with the desired technical and soft skills remains a challenge in 2021. Even with a larger talent pool, companies still face competition from other businesses seeking the same top talent for critical IT roles.
From the professional point of view is the moment to invest in qualification and certifications to show employers their value and their expertise. Even you are not applying for these roles, it is a good starting point to negotiate pay raises, for example. Software Engineering related roles are expected to have a 10% inflation in 2021. This is particularly due to the huge skill shortage that will be continuing to grow as more companies catch up with the digital transformation.
If you are considering a career change or are willing to explore different industries, overall the ones with the largest number of tech jobs postings included professional, scientific, pharmaceutical, and technical services, finance and insurance, manufacturing, and information.
New Horizons Ireland IT Training
At New Horizons Ireland we provide a wide range of courses in different modalities and covering different areas, such as IT technical, soft skills, apps for end users, professional development, and more. New Horizons Ireland's training can be delivered as online live, mentored learning, instructor-led classes, and eLearning on-demand. We can also customise our range of courses to attend your company's needs and deliver it as a private session to your group.
Contact one of our Account Managers to check our options and choose the best course path for you.
*Sources for the above article: