Over 20 employers from Ireland and the UK took part in a virtual Built Environment Careers Fair in GMIT recently where they spoke about a critical shortage of graduates in the sector and outlined a range of opportunities to final year students and graduates of GMIT Building & Civil engineering degree programmes.
Hosted by the GMIT Department of Building & Civil Engineering, event organiser and lecturer, Dr Shane Newell, said: “The employers participating in the event expressed concern about the critical shortage of construction graduates in the industry and explained directly to students that as a result of this shortage the starting salaries and employment conditions for graduates entering employment recently has increased significantly to attract skilled professionals.”
Dr Newell said concerns were also expressed that the deficit in suitably qualified professionals in the sector has the potential to undermine the ambitious targets outlined in the National Development Plan and Climate Action Plan.
"Without the required number of graduates, it will be very difficult for Ireland to deliver critical housing and infrastructure and mitigate the effects of climate change in the timeframe envisioned. The Expert Group on Future Skills Needs Report (2021 ) highlights that the supply of skilled graduates is a substantial challenge facing the construction industry as Ireland transitions towards a zero-carbon economy.
"GMIT offers ordinary degree (Level 7 ) and honours degree (Level 8 ) programmes in Architectural Technology, Civil Engineering, Construction Management and Quantity Surveying. You can find out all you need to know about these courses on our website: https://www.gmit.ie/building-civil-engineering/department-building-and-civil-engineering."
Final year students and graduates attending the event spoke directly and at length with employers from all sectors of the construction industry, including: Sisk, JJ Rhatigan, JRL Group (UK ), O’Halloran & O’Brien (UK ), King & Moffatt, Kilcawley Construction, RPS Group, Coffey Group, Ecofill (UK ), Tobin Consulting Engineers, Mitchell McDermott, Shareridge Civil Engineering, McAleer & Rushe, , Cogent Associates, John Paul Construction, Cairn Homes, Atkins, MMA Architects, Keith Walsh Architects, Aecom, and Axo Architects.
Victor O’Shea, Regional Engineer Associate, Sisk Contractors, said: "The event was an ideal opportunity to meet the students on a one-to-one basis to speak about their future careers and opportunities."
Donna Heneghan, JJ Rhatigans, said: "It was great to speak to the students directly about the many graduate positions in JJ Rhatigan, for all built environment graduates. We have a wide range of opportunities for all types of graduates where they can work on several exciting projects related to housing, education and commercial developments."
