By Giles O’Neill
Being one of the fastest growing economies in the European Union (EU), Ireland is becoming a favoured destination for study abroad aspirants due to the countries post study visa policies and varied job opportunities.
Despite the recent announcements by some of the leading tech giants, Ireland remains a hub for hundreds of multinational companies like Google, Microsoft, Apple, Facebook, LinkedIn, Twitter, Amazon, Intel, HP, Paypal, eBay, among others, Ireland – the only English-speaking nation in EU has emerged as a technological, educational, cultural, and economic superpower in Europe. Ireland is home to 20 of the Top 25 Financial Institutions in the world, with leading IT and Consultancy businesses like Deloitte, KPMG, PWC and Accenture having their offices here, Ireland offers a plethora of economic opportunities to a young, skilled and increasingly international population.
Additionally, leading forces in Data Sciences are also found here. Some of the big names include IBM, United Health Group, Deutsch Bank, and Pramerica. The capital, Dublin is also a leading hub of gaming giants like Big Fish, EA, DemonWare, Zynga, PopCap, and Jolt.
While Ireland is the second largest software exporter and the third largest exporter of pharmaceuticals globally, in Europe, the country is the second largest exporter of med-tech products. It hosts world’s leading med-tech companies like Baxter, Boston Scientific and Medtronic and pharmaceutical companies such as Pfizer, P&G, Novartis, GE Healthcare, and Boston Scientific.
Beyond the world of business and commerce, Ireland is home to creative thinkers and academics since time immemorial. The country has left behind a legacy of some great scientists and inventors such as Lord Kelvin (creator of the Kelvin scale), Robert Boyle (known for Boyle’s Law), Nobel Prize winner Ernest Walton, and more recently the award winning neuroscientist Eleanor Maguire. Given its growing popularity as a desired education destination by Indian and international students, the country most certainly offers a wide range of career prospects to students looking at pursuing academia across various disciplines. Irish Higher Education Institutions (HEIs) encourage young minds, provide research and development facilities, and pave the way for innovation and entrepreneurship. These factors have played a major role in shaping Ireland’s knowledge-based economy.
Students graduating from Irish HEIs will be open to career opportunities in the fields of IT, Business and Finance, Data Sciences and Engineering, Life Sciences, Pharma, ICT, Med-Tech, Healthcare, and Academia among other several sub-fields and disciplines. The tech scene is Ireland is vibrant, with many start ups and more established companies looking for skilled graduates, a fascinating way of starting a career, it is no wonder that many of these institutions have a graduate employability rate of greater than 90%. The practical nature of the study opportunities provided by Irish HEIs, their closeness to the sectors and work opportunities as you are studying all contribute to a young person’s experience, something employers find very attractive.
The author is Head of Education in Ireland. Views are personal.