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Industry News
News from the electronics, communications and computer engineering industries.
See also School news.
Most recent industry news is nearest the top of this page.
Government’s new digital strategy to create over 350 high tech jobs
Tuesday, July 21 2009
Unveiling the report, ‘Technology Actions to Support the Smart Economy’, which outlines the Government’s new digital economy strategy, the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources, Eamon Ryan TD, said that 50 new high-skill technology jobs would be created in Ireland within the next 12 months as a result of the Exemplar Smart Network, with 300 more to follow in the next three years.
The Examplar Smart Network is the Government's first step in creating a sustainable next-gen communications infrastructure for Ireland and will be led by Irish telecoms equipment design company Intune Networks, where 50 of these new jobs will be created.
Essentially Exemplar will be a fibre-optic smart grid built by Intune Networks throughout the country. Intune is unique in that it has developed the world's first programmable fibre-optic platform, making for high-quality, high-speed internet access.
Source: Silicon Republic
25,000 potential jobs for Ireland through smart economy plan
Tuesday, July 21 2009
Up to 25,000 new jobs could be in the pipeline if a series of projects aimed at transforming Ireland into one of the world’s foremost digital economies come to fruition, the Minister Communications, Energy and Natural Resources, Eamon Ryan TD, and Minister of State for Information Society, Minister Conor Lenihan TD, said today.
In what is one of the boldest steps taken by an Irish Government yet towards putting the country at the forefront of the digital age, the Government is to focus on building a smart broadband network called the Exemplar Network that makes use of multiple colours of fibre to dramatically boost the speed of fibre-based communications.
Minister Ryan told siliconrepublic.com that the one-stop shop to pull together all the stranded fibre assets owned by the State that could tie together 90pc of Irish urban centres will be ready to operate in early autumn, and will connect the Exemplar Network to the country’s 94 Metropolitan Area Networks (MANs) that encircle key towns.
The resulting network will make Ireland ripe for new job creation by inward investments, as well as enabling entrepreneurs to set up world-class businesses in any parish in Ireland.
Tim Fritzley, CEO of Intune Networks, the company that will build the Exemplar Network, said that the plan is to kick off straightaway by creating a template based on a geographic area known as a ‘captured network’, which will be replicated across the country throughout 2010.
The plan has already attracted the interest of the City of London, with its major financial community.
The Government’s deal with Intune will result in 300 new jobs for R&D workers and telecoms engineers, and work is set to begin immediately.
Source: Silicon Republic
IBM to create 100 jobs
Thursday, June 25 2009
The information technology company IBM is to create 100 jobs in Dublin, Cork and Galway as part of an IDA-supported investment.
The €25m investment will enable the firm to recruit software engineers to focus on designing software for business, called 'cloud computing software'.
Speaking at the announcement, the IDA's Barry O'Leary said the development was a very positive one for the Irish economy in the current environment.
Source: RTE News
US firm to create 40 jobs at Dublin HQ
Monday, May 25 2009
A US technology firm has announced plans to create 40 jobs in Dublin before the end of this year.
The Cerner Corporation, which supplies healthcare-related IT products, says the jobs will come on line as part of an expansion of its Finglas headquarters.
The positions will be created in a multilingual software technical support centre.
Source: Irish Independent
50% Rise in Telecomm Companies formed this year
Friday, May 22 2009
There was a surge in the number of firms established in the telecommunications, health and social sectors in the first three months of this year. Every other sector saw a drop in the number of new companies established in the period, meaning overall company formations were down 22.5 percent in the first quarter of the year, compared with the same period last year. There was also a 50 percent rise in the number of telecommunication companies formed.
Source: Irish Examiner
What Course do I Choose for 2009?
Tuesday, March 24 2009
A recent report on the computer sector by the Expert Group on Future Skills Needs said demand for computer skills is set to exceed the number of qualified workers in the economy.
The report said there were not enough school leavers choosing to study computing and electronic engineering.
Because there are not enough qualified graduates with hi-tech skills, much of the Irish-based workforce will continue to come from abroad, the report predicted.
Martin Shanahan of the government skills agency Forfas said computer engineers and electronic engineers are in short supply .
Mr Shanahan said the announcement of 400 jobs by the computer gaming company Goa underlines the importance of information technology to the economy. He also highlighted other areas where well-qualified workers are likely to be needed.
Source: loadzajobs.ie
Electronic payment player Realex to create 25 new jobs
Friday, February 20 2009
The online transaction player Realex Payments – which processes €6bn worth of e-commerce payments per annum – is creating 25 new jobs as it expands into new overseas.
Realex, which was established by former Ulster Bank head of central IT Colm Lyon, already employs 60 people in Dublin and brings in revenues of €6m per annum out of which it generates 10pc margin.
It is understood the company is creating new business and consumer electronic payment products and other financial instruments as paper cheques become phased out across Europe.
The company has over 2,000 clients and processes almost €6bn a year into over 20 banks or financial institutions across Ireland, the UK, and Europe. Clients include some major Irish household names such as Aer Lingus, Tesco, Aer Arann, Quinn Direct, Superquinn, Direct Ski, Vodafone, and property website Daft.
Source: Silicon Republic
New jobs offer glimmer of hope
Thursday, February 19 2009
Social networking giant Facebook announced the opening of its new offices in Dublin on Tuesday. Dublin will now become Facebook's European hub and the networking site is looking to recruit 40 people in areas such as user operations, online operations, inside sales and advertising campaign delivery.
At a time when other companies are cutting costs and staff, some promising news was announced also on Wednesday when fledgling mobile services firm Telecorp said it was going to create 20 new jobs in Dublin. The company was founded in April 2008 and is a joint venture between the owner of Infinite Technologies, Michael Corr, and directors Conor and John English. It is looking for mobile sales and service staff for its office in Sandyford, which was opened in November 2008.
Source: Silicon Republic
Engineering numbers expected to rise by Third
Tuesday, February 10 2009
THE FUTURE is bright for engineers with job numbers expected to expand by more than one third over the next 12 years, according to a report from DKM Economic Consultants.
The report, commissioned by Engineers Ireland to mark the start of Engineers Week, predicts a 35 per cent increase in the number of engineers at work by 2020.
Key findings of the DKM report, The Economic Importance of Engineers , include:
The average earnings plus bonuses of Engineers Ireland members in 2008 was €67,700;
The engineers contribution to GDP is €5.5 billion a year;
Demand for engineers is expected to grow by an average of 1,500 a year in the Republic and 600 a year in the North, between now and 2020;
Engineers are vital to the high technology, pharmaceutical, chemical, healthcare, electronics and ICT sectors which account for 80 per cent of merchandise exports;
The high technology, pharmaceutical, chemical, healthcare, electronics and ICT sectors generated €42.3 billion in Ireland in 2007.
Source: Irish Times - Tim O Brien
Lack of Computer Graduates
Thursday, February 5 2009
The head of an Irish software firm has warned that Ireland is not producing enough top level maths or computer science graduates.
The warning comes despite the fact that Ireland's science base has doubled in the past nine years.
Managing Director of Havok David O'Meara warned that Ireland is not producing enough Maths or Computer Sciences graduates at the top level.
And last December Google confirmed it had abandoned plans for 100 software engineering jobs in Dublin, because it could not find enough qualified candidates here.
Source: RTE News
50 new technology jobs for Dublin
Friday, January 23 2009
Expertise marketplace Gerson Lehrman Group plans to create 50 hi-tech positions for graduates in Dublin for positions that include C#/ASP/.Net software engineers and quality assurance engineers, product managers and other professionals.
Through the company’s marketplace, experts known as Gerson Lehrman Group Councils Members deliver expertise and decision-making assistance to business, government, and investment leaders around the world.
Recruitment has already commenced for third-level graduates for positions that include C#/ASP/.Net software engineers and quality assurance engineers, product managers and professionals to help build, manage and deploy experts from the Gerson Lehrman Group CouncilsSM.
Source: John Kennedy - Silicon Republic
IT sector beats downward salary pressures
Tuesday, January 13 2009
Salaries in the local IT sector remain healthy despite the recent threat of job losses, the latest salary guide from SalesJobs.ie maintains.
According to Niall Kelly, director of Salesjobs.ie, there was an obvious large decline in the property and construction sectors advertising for staff, although technical sales reps remain high in demand.
In the IT/telecoms sector, sales directors can expect to earn between €76,000 and €112,000; sales managers between €58,000 and €80,000; account managers/executives between €40,000 and €52,000; technical sales between €48,000 and €59,000; and software sales between €41,000 and €51,000.
Source: Silicon Republic: John Kennedy
117 new jobs created at Digital Hub last year
Friday, January 2 2009
Employment at the Digital Hub in Dublin grew by 16pc last year from 740 people to 857, the development agency said in its end-of-year statement, adding tech firms based there are well positioned to weather the economic storm.
In addition, the number of companies located at The Digital Hub rose by more than 12 per cent in 2008, up from 90 companies in January of this year to 101 at present.
“Despite such a tumultuous year,” the Digital Hub Development Agency’s chief executive Philip Flynn commented, “the Irish digital media industry is continuing to expand.
“Most digital media companies operate in a flexible manner that allows them to quickly respond to changing market needs at any given time. This flexibility has helped them to withstand the economic pressures of 2008. These resilient companies represent the type of highly-skilled creative knowledge economy that will guarantee the future success of Ireland.
Source: Silicon Republic 02/01/09
315 New Technology Jobs in Clare
Tuesday, December 16 2008
US company Microsemi has announced 315 new jobs over the next 18 months at its facility in Ennis, Co Clare.
The jobs will be in manufacturing, sales and technical support.
Microsemi Ireland, which has been based in Ennis since 1992, acts as the liaison between US and European markets.
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Microsemi Corporation, which has its headquarters in California, employs over 1,800 worldwide. The company designs and manufactures analog and mixed-signal integrated circuits and discrete high reliability semiconductors.
These devicses are used in extreme condition environments where failures can be costly, like aircraft engines and pacemakers.
Source: RTE News
Tech Sector Jobs Joy
Thursday, December 11 2008
There was good news on the jobs front this week, with tech sector firms around the country creating numerous high-level positions. In Cork, Option Wireless, a manufacturer of devices for wireless internet access, announced it was going to expand its facility there, creating 145 high-quality jobs. Meanwhile, in Dublin, risk management services provider Aon Corporation is to generate 100 skilled jobs as it sets up a 'global centre of excellence'. The new centre will provide "advanced research and development technology", according to Aon. Also in Dublin, software firm Synopsys is expanding its R&D facility in Blanchardstown and recruiting 50 software and electronic engineers. Another software development firm, Sentenial, announced it is to open a new office in Maynooth, Co Kildare, creating 70 new jobs in the process, while in Waterford, call centre firm Rigneydolphin is to recruit 45 new employees following a EUR2 million contract win with Chorus NTL. All in all, it was a good tally for the week, and it seems to indicate that the Irish tech sector will show resilience in the face of the economic downturn.
Source: ENN Weekly Digest 11th December 2008
50 new electronic and computer engineering jobs in West Dublin
Sunday, December 7 2008
US multinational Synopsys is to create 50 new jobs at its research and development (RD) facility in Blanchardstown, west Dublin.
The software and electronic engineering positions will be created over the next four-years. The new staff will work on the development of software and hardware for chip designers to control and support high speeds and increasing bandwidths in nanotechnology.
The research programme is a collaboration with the department of electronic engineering and the Centre for Efficiency-Oriented Languages (Ceol) in University College Cork and is supported by IDA Ireland.
Source: Irish Times
Wireless Modem Giant creates 145 jobs in Ireland
Thursday, December 4 2008
Up to 145 jobs are to be created in Cork by the Dutch technology company Options Wireless, a leading manufacturer of Wi-Fi routers and USB modems.
The investment, supported by IDA Ireland, will capitalise on Cork’s reputation as a critical location for the design and development of wireless products. In recent years, Motorola closed a major chip-design facility in the city, which is home to a number of major consumer electronics players, including Apple and Logitech. Options Wireless already employs 300 people in Cork’s Kilbarry Industrial Estate, divided equally between permanent and temporary staff.
The operation plays a critical role in the company’s global supply chain, and produces a broad array of products such as data cards, USB modems, software, routers and embedded modules.
“Option continues to build on its reputation for delivering its range of wireless internet devices that are developed to the specific needs of the markets it serves,” said David Whelan, vice-president in charge of global operations at Option Wireless.
Silicon Republic: John Kennedy
IT jobs boosts
Thursday, December 4 2008
Details are to be announced later today of two projects which are expected to create several hundred jobs in Cork city and county.
The country's second biggest insurer, Quinn, is to significantly expand its Irish business with the establishment of a new call centre at Little Island in County Cork, while an IT company based in Cork City has agreed to a major expansion with the support of IDA Ireland.
Minister Coughlan is due to announce details of a major expansion of a technology company in the city which is being supported by IDA Ireland. This is expected to lead to more than 100 new jobs.
Source: RTE Business NEWS
260 new technology jobs for Ireland
Monday, December 1 2008
There was good news on the jobs front today with the announcement of 60 jobs at a technology company in north Dublin and the expected announcement of 200 jobs in Galway.
Renishaw Ireland said it is expanding its operation in Swords with a new research and development plant.
The facility will design and make new medical instruments to treat a range of neurological diseases.
In Galway, a US internet services company is expected to announce 200 jobs. The name of the company is not yet known.
Irish Times 1st December 2008
Where are the new jobs coming from?
Wednesday, November 12 2008
While tens of thousands of employees are laid off among all sections of society every month, the computer sector is still struggling to find suitably qualified employees in this country.
"People with qualifications in computing are needed in every sector of the economy,'' says Jim Friars, director of the Irish Computer Society.
"The demand is only likely to increase in the coming years as information technology affects more areas of our lives.''
Pauline O'Loughlin of Ernst & Young recently said 70pc of technology firms believe there is currently a skills shortage.
"There has to be a re-education at secondary level to let pupils and career guidance teachers know that there are major career opportunities in the technology sector.''
Engineers Ireland and other bodies have made strenuous efforts to attract students to engineering, a profession that still has job vacancies.
"We are keen to get the message to students that there are companies out there who are crying out for good students,'' says Margie McCarthy of Engineers Ireland.
At Steps.ie, a website which promotes engineering to schoolchildren, pupils are told how a career in engineering involves anything from aviation and water supplies to graphics in computer games and movies.
Margie McCarthy says the green agenda will result in many new jobs for qualified engineers over the coming years.
"There are all sorts of projects that require engineering skills".
A recent report on the computer sector by the Expert Group on Future Skills Needs said demand for computer skills is set to exceed the number of qualified workers in the economy.
The report said there were not enough school leavers choosing to study computing and electronic engineering.
Because there are not enough qualified graduates with hi-tech skills, much of the Irish-based workforce will continue to come from abroad, the report predicted.
Martin Shanahan of the government skills agency Forfas said computer engineers and electronic engineers are in short supply .
Source: Irish Independent
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