A number of leading companies in the west of Ireland are struggling to fill well-paid engineering roles, according to a new survey by Matrix Recruitment.
Some companies surveyed have been waiting for more than a year to fill senior roles as a result of a talent shortage in the west, according to the recruiter’s survey.
The survey of more than 30 companies saw employers across Galway, Mayo, and Sligo reporting skill shortages. More than 35 posts are currently lying vacant among the cross section of organisations surveyed, mostly in the medical technical, pharmaceutical, and food manufacturing sectors.
Almost half of the positions are senior engineering roles.
More than half of those surveyed cited senior engineer or specialist level roles as the most difficult to fill while 45 per cent cited a lack of experienced candidates as the reason why the posts remain unfilled.
Michelle Hand, branch manager of Matrix Rectruiment Galway, said Ireland is lacking the depth of talent needed to back up the recovery.
“Galway, Sligo, and Mayo are quickly becoming hubs for medical device and FMCG (fast moving consumer goods ) companies,” she said.
“A high number of major multinational brands have been attracted to Galway in recent years which in turn has attracted a very high calibre of engineers to the west. However, as our survey demonstrates, a lack of skilled candidates and a resistance to relocating from the more populated urban centres is still presenting itself as a major issue.”
On a positive note, 50 per cent of the companies surveyed said they intended to recruit more people in 2015 than they did in 2014.
