6,000 engineering jobs are projected to be created in Ireland in 2024, according to a new report by Engineers Ireland.
While the employers surveyed in the report acknowledged there are skills gaps in the profession, respondents indicated there are 722 current vacancies in the engineering sector.
The report ‘Engineering 2024: A Barometer of the Profession in Ireland’ was launched today as part of Engineers Week 2024, the annual campaign that highlights the diverse world of engineering to primary and secondary school children.
The engineering industry is optimistic about the prospects of the industry here, with 71% of engineering directors and managers planning to recruit engineers in 2024, a signal of confidence of growth. 68% of engineering employers stated that their financial position improved during 2023, compared to the previous year.
The public also had a positive outlook on the sector, according to the report, with 86% believing that there are plenty of jobs in engineering, while 85% believed engineering to be a financially rewarding career.
Flexibility with regard to remote working also appears to be growing across the industry, with 79% of engineering employers expecting a hybrid model of working, with greater ability to work from home, site and the office as required, to be the norm this year, up eight percentage points from last year.
This year’s report also found that 75% of the public believes that engineers are critical to combating climate change and biodiversity loss. In 2023, 26% of all Engineers Ireland CPD events had a sustainability focus and, in April 2023, Engineers Ireland became the first organisation outside of the UK to be licensed by the Society for the Environment to award the Chartered Environmentalist title.
Speaking about the report, Damien Owens, Director General of Engineers Ireland, said: “Engineering is not merely a career, it is a vocation that intertwines with the very fabric of our nation. It is critical to ensuring that our infrastructure, our economy, and our public services can support living standards and growth – from clean water supplies and safe buildings to renewable energy and new manufacturing technologies. Our work extends beyond blueprints and equations – it touches lives, transforms communities, and safeguards our future.
He continued: “The Irish engineering landscape is teeming with opportunities and demand for engineers in this country greatly outstrips supply. As we celebrate Engineers Week 2024, there is a great sense among the public that engineering offers a positive career path for young people, with interesting work, plenty of jobs, and financial rewards, but the reality is the number of students studying STEM subjects and moving into third-level engineering and technology sectors needs to be much larger to meet our country’s current and future skills needs.”
