Job opportunities are expected to grow by 8% nationally.
Employment opportunities in Offaly and Westmeath are expected to exceed the national average in growth this year.
Analysis by FRS Recruitment has found job opportunities are forecast to grow by 8% around the country in 2024.
However, that figure is 13% and 12% in Offaly and Westmeath, respectively, while in Laois, it's 6%.
It seems rural areas will benefit as demand has grown for accounting, engineering, social care and construction.
Lynn McCormack, General Manager with FRS Recruitment, says there's a skill shortage in some sectors:
She says:
"It is fair to say that in 2023, the market got jittery, certainly in the first half of the year.
The large job losses announced by the major tech companies seemed to resonate across the market and across most of the country. This had implications for opportunities coming on stream for multiple industries beyond the IT sector.
Rising costs relating to energy, supply chain expenses and salaries also impacted on the recruitment outlook as many Westmeath based employers opted to utilise their available workforce rather than going to the market with new openings.
Thankfully the market recovered in Q3 and was firing strongly again by the end of the year. The signs point to that approach continuing for into 2024.
The market is already showing significant need for skilled personnel in several sectors.
Employers are actively seeking out individuals with qualifications and experience in accounting, insurance, science, engineering, cybersecurity, social care and construction. Such is the pent up demand for this talent we see no shortage of opportunities arising in the next 12 months in Westmeath, especially for those sectors.
There are also a lot of temporary roles coming to the market, especially for those interested in manufacturing and production positions, customer service jobs as well as a wide range of opportunities for drivers. "
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