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Some 2,063,000 recorded as being in employment in Ireland by CSO
The rate of employment has increased by 2.4 per cent in the last year, according to the latest <a href="https://www.irishtimes.com/search/search-7.1213540?tag_organisation=Central%20Statistics%20Office&amp;article=true">Central Statistics Office</a> employment statistics for the second quarter of 2017 and unemployment is now running at 6.4 per cent.
Since the end of 2012 the rate of employment has been increasing in <a href="https://www.irishtimes.com/news">Ireland</a>, following the economic financial crash in 2008. The overall unadjusted unemployment rate dropped from 8.6 per cent to 6.4 per cent over the last 12 months, according to the CSO while the seasonally adjusted rate of unemployment is down from 6.8 per cent to 6.2 per cent over the last four months.
Some 2,063,000 were recorded as being in employment in Ireland, in the latest quarterly national household survey published today.
In total 48,100 more people were recorded as in work compared to this time of year in 2016.
The number of people recorded as unemployed decreased by 46,300 in the last year.
The rate of unemployment has seen a year on year decline since 2012.
The information and communication sector saw the largest employment growth over the year. While the agricultural, farming and fisheries sector saw the biggest decrease in employment rates.
The rate of youth unemployment has fallen from 19 per cent after the second half of 2016, to 16.5 per cent at the same time this year.
Part-time employment has declined by 29,700 (6.4 per cent) over the year.
The CSO quarterly national household survey tracks employment levels in each quarter of the year.
The long term unemployment rate fell from 4.4 per cent at the end of 2016 to 3.1 per cent over the year.
Long term unemployment accounts for just less than half of total unemployment persons.
Source: <a href="https://www.irishtimes.com/news/social-affairs/jobless-rate-falls-to-6-4-as-employment-continues-to-grow-in-recovery-1.3230279">IrishTimes</a>

Jobless rate falls to 6.4% as employment continues to grow in recovery

<a href="https://www.siliconrepublic.com/author/jenny-darmody">by Jenny Darmody</a>

While the US cracks down on the number of immigrants with work visas, Canada is using the opportunity to lure top talent.

Among a number of other consequences, Ireland’s talent pool could stand to benefit from Brexit, as a number of highly skilled EU workers are considering leaving the UK in the next five years.

Could the UK’s loss be Ireland’s gain? Only time will tell. However, the UK isn’t the only country losing its talent to its neighbours.
<a href="https://www.jobalert.ie/jobs/"></a>
In the US, it’s no surprise that the current political scene may have driven people to consider emigrating. After US president Donald Trump was elected last November, the Canadian immigration website crashed, most likely due to a high volume of traffic.

Now, Canada appears to be answering those cries for help by making it easier for people to immigrate to the country with a Global Skills Strategy visa programme.

The new programme will make it easier for companies to bring foreign workers to Canada with specific skills.

While this will prove attractive for US workers looking further afield, employees from other countries should take note, too.

With Trump’s proposed restrictions on US immigrants regarding work visas, this traffic will no doubt be diverted to Canada, which appears to be welcoming incoming workers with open arms.

The visa programme will appeal to tech workers who no longer qualify for H-1B visas as well as Americans who want to relocate for personal reasons.

Highly skilled workers coming to Canada on a temporary basis will now be able to benefit from a speedy, two-week application process for work permits and temporary resident visas. Open work permits for spouses and study permits for dependants will also be processed in two weeks when applicable.

Two permit exemptions for short-term work came into effect in June of this year. Workers on a very short-term assignment and researchers taking part in short-duration research projects can come to Canada without requiring a work permit.

For more information, <a href="http://www.cic.gc.ca/english/work/employers/gss.asp">CLICK HERE</a>

Canada attracts top talent with swift visa processes!

Budget Summary regarding Employed People 

Before the budget announcement began at 1 pm, Taoiseach Leo Varadkar said that the Budget 2018 will give an average family with two incomes an extra €500 or €600 a year. Add to that obviously savings in childcare, savings in medicines costs and they may have a little higher than that.

Higher Tax Bracket
The point at which people enter the higher, 40 percent rate of income tax will rise from its current level of €33,800 by €750 for a single person to €34,550.

USC – Universal Social Charge
The 2½ percent Universal Social Charge (USC) rate is being cut to 2 percent and the ceiling for this new rate is rising from €18,772 to €19,372.

Cuts to income tax and USC are set to save families up to €9 a week.
The Minister said that cuts to the USC were to ensure that full-time workers on the national minimum wage of €9.55 per hour do not pay the higher rates.

The higher 5 percent rate of USC is being lowered to 4.75 percent, which the Minister said would reduce the top marginal rate of tax on income up to €70,044 to 48.75 percent.

Families and individuals across the country are set to save in the order of up to about €468 a year come next January. The biggest gains look set to go to those earning €14,500 or less.

Changes mean that those benefiting from the 3.24 percent increase in the minimum wage to €9.55 an hour will see their USC charge fall from €210 to €191. However, their tax burden will also rise due to increased earnings, which means that they will be up by just €6 a week.

Those earning up to €70,444 will also benefit from a further cut to the 5 percent rate, which will drop back to 4.75 percent. This means that a single person earning €30,000 will be up by just €2 a week, someone on €55,000 will be up by €6 and someone earning €150,000 will be up by €6.

A married couple on the minimum wage, on the other hand, will see savings of €8 a week, while the savings will be the same for other couples.

A married couple with one income will do better, with savings of €9 a week for an earner on the minimum wage, €7 for a couple on €30,000 and €8 for a couple on €55,000 and above.

Self Employed
For the self-employed, the earned income credit will increase by €200, bringing it to €1,150 per year from next year.

FIS – Family Income Support
The threshold for receipt of the Family Income Supplement rises by €10 per week for families with up to three children.

Jobseekers’ Transitional Scheme
The Jobseekers’ Transitional scheme is rising by €20 per week.

Diesel &amp; Petrol
There will be no change to the taxes on diesel or petrol.

Further Information: <a href="https://l.facebook.com/l.php?u=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.pwc.ie%2Fbudget&amp;h=ATNQvXV6rPUbX8ZwcV2UCEN-Hn3y-7CNJ-Ug1iACYfAkINgx7dE_iHaEU0zeVIaqXXQ_Rcdjqju4G_WyWxWCFCQcQAdYWkLvJExu_i_6F1mMPw92jttkmTGqZgmA6Vsx9-psjwSuJ-k">http://www.pwc.ie/budget</a> &amp; <a href="https://l.facebook.com/l.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.irishtimes.com%2Fbusiness%2Feconomy%2Fbudget-2018-cuts-to-income-tax-and-usc-set-to-save-families-up-to-9-a-week-1.3247336&amp;h=ATNQvXV6rPUbX8ZwcV2UCEN-Hn3y-7CNJ-Ug1iACYfAkINgx7dE_iHaEU0zeVIaqXXQ_Rcdjqju4G_WyWxWCFCQcQAdYWkLvJExu_i_6F1mMPw92jttkmTGqZgmA6Vsx9-psjwSuJ-k">https://www.irishtimes.com/business/economy/budget-2018-cuts-to-income-tax-and-usc-set-to-save-families-up-to-9-a-week-1.3247336</a>

Budget Breakdown 2018 - What's in it for Workers?

Each year hospitality and tourism businesses around Ireland look to recruit over 6,000 entry-level employees across all areas of their operations, according to research from the Irish Hotels Federation.

Tourism now supports an estimated 230,000 jobs in Ireland, equivalent to 11% of total employment. With over 60,000 new jobs created since 2011, the industry is well-positioned to create in excess of 40,000 additional jobs over the next five years.

The research was released yesterday at the National Tourism and Hospitality Careers Roadshow for 15-18 year olds organised by the Irish Hotels Federation (IHF) and Dublin Regional Skills in association with the Irish Hospitality Institute (IHI), Fáilte Ireland and Technological Higher Educational Association (THEA).

Over 400 students from second level schools and Youthreach centres across Dublin gathered at the Aviva Stadium where some of the city’s leading hotels, travel, catering and tourism businesses gave them a first-hand view of the career choices available in the sector. The students heard from a panel of young individuals about careers in food and beverage, catering, accommodation services, reception, leisure centre and spa facility management, sales and marketing, human resources, travel, tour guiding, IT, management and finance.

Speaking yesterday, Chief Executive at the Irish Hotels Federation, Tim Fenn said, &quot;The Tourism and Hospitality sector offers thousands of opportunities for young people interested in pursuing an exciting career. The National Tourism and Hospitality Careers Roadshow has been developed to give young people an introduction to those opportunities. It is also an important event, for us as an industry, where we can engage with potential employees and help them explore the different avenues, including apprenticeships, traineeships, diplomas and the many degree courses available to them throughout the country. This industry prides itself in nurturing talent and providing potential to climb the ladder quickly to senior management.&quot;

Written by Robert McHugh, on 29th Sep 2017.

Source:<a href="http://www.businessworld.ie/"> www.businessworld.ie</a>

IRISH TOURISM INDUSTRY SEEKS TO RECRUIT 6,000 ENTRY-LEVEL EMPLOYEES 

A job that could pay well in excess of €49,000 is now available in Co Kildare.

Recruitment is open for a Broadband and Infrastructure Licensing Officer on a three year contract.

After six years satisfactory service, there is a payment of €53, 070.

The Kildare County Council position is offering €51, 299 after three years service at maximum.

Applications for the following position are invited from suitably qualified candidates for inclusion on a panel.


 Entry point to this scale will be determined in accordance with circulars issued by the Department of the Housing, Planning, and Local Government.

Posts will be filled subject to sanction from the Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government. Panels formed as a result of this competition may be used to fill further Broadband and Infrastructure Licensing Officer vacancies as they arise.

Candidates may be short-listed on the basis of information supplied in their application. Kildare County Council is an equal opportunities employer.

Application forms and full particulars are available on the Website at

<a href="http://kildare.ie/CountyCouncil/HumanResources/">http://kildare.ie/CountyCouncil/HumanResources/ </a>

or from Human Resources Section, Kildare County Council, at the address below - (045) 980740.

Email address jobs@kildarecoco.ie

The latest date for receipt of a completed signed original of the application form is:Thursday ,16 November 2017, 4.00 p.m.

Source: By Louise McCarthy  <a href="http://www.kildarenow.com">www.kildarenow.com</a>

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Kildare County Council now offering job

Source: https://www.irishtimes.com/business/technology/

<a href="https://www.irishtimes.com/profile/charlie-taylor-7.3745954">Written by Charlie Taylor</a>
Cloud-based customer service software firm <a href="https://www.irishtimes.com/search/search-7.1213540?tag_company=Zendesk&amp;article=true">Zendesk</a>, which established an office in Dublin with just two engineers in 2012, is to take on an additional 300 people over the next three to four years to bring its Irish head count to more than 500.
The company, which currently employs about 200 people in Ireland, also confirmed it has agreed a lease to expand into 55 Charlemont Place next year, taking over 58,000 sq ft of grade A office space in Dublin for its Europe, Middle East and Africa (EMEA) headquarters, which is currently located nearby at One Grand Parade.
Zendesk said it is recruiting for engineering, DevOps, infrastructure, product management as well as Android/iOS development roles. In addition, it is also looking to fill a number of non-tech roles in sales, customer advocacy, finance and legal.
The company’s software enables organisations to provide helpdesk service across multiple channels. Zendesk has over 100,000 paid customer accounts globally in over 150 countries and territories.
About 35,000 paid customer accounts are in EMEA, which has seen growth of 30 per cent in the 12 months to the end of March.
First quarter revenue for the company increased 36 per cent year-on-year to $93 million (€ 81.6 million) with turnover for the second quarter forecast to be in the range of $98 million to $100 million.
The San Francisco-headquartered company, which was founded by <a href="https://www.irishtimes.com/search/search-7.1213540?tag_person=Mikkel%20Svane&amp;article=true">Mikkel Svane</a>, <a href="https://www.irishtimes.com/search/search-7.1213540?tag_person=Morten%20Primdahl&amp;article=true">Morten Primdahl</a>, and <a href="https://www.irishtimes.com/search/search-7.1213540?tag_person=Alexander%20Aghassipour&amp;article=true">Alexander Aghassipour</a> in Copenhagen, Denmark in 2007, is listed on the <a href="https://www.irishtimes.com/search/search-7.1213540?tag_organisation=New%20York%20Stock%20Exchange&amp;article=true">New York Stock Exchange</a>. It now has more than 1,700 employees worldwide.
Speaking to The Irish Times, <a href="https://www.irishtimes.com/search/search-7.1213540?tag_person=Colum%20Twomey&amp;article=true">Colum Twomey</a>, vice president of product engineering at Zendesk and the company’s first hire in Ireland, welcomed the signing of a lease for 55 Charlemont Place, a six-storey stand-alone bock on the edge of the Grand Canal. He said the company had been forced to rent additional office space in the capital in recent months due to growth.
“I never knew how big the company was going to be when I joined and still don’t know,” he said. The original plan was to grow Zendesk to 50 people so to get to 200 in four years and with plans to more than double that now is extraordinary,” said Mr Twomey.
“It will be a challenge filling 300 additional roles but I’ve been in the industry for over 30 years and people have always claimed it is getting harder to find people. I don’t find that. I think that if you plan far enough ahead and are strategic enough about things, then it isn’t a problem,” he added.

Software firm Zendesk to hire 300 people in Dublin

Plans have been drawn up for a €100 million ‘urban quarter’ at Galway Docks – which will create 500 construction jobs and office space for 2,600 workers.

The ‘Bonham Quay’ regeneration project will open up an entirely new area of the city’s waterfront and satisfy urgent calls from the IDA for high-spec city centre office space to attract Foreign Direct Investment.

Well-known Galway developer Gerry Barrett has lodged plans with the City Council for 26,000 square metres of ‘Grade A’ office space in four blocks on the two-acre former Topaz oil tanks site at the Docks.

It will also offer 2,000 square metres of retail space and restaurants offering views over the Docks and Galway Bay.

The project is backed by his Edward Capital company, and will cost €104m to build.

According to a spokesperson for the company, the development has the potential to create 500 construction jobs and will provide space for 2,600 workers – satisfying pent-up demand from some multinationals who are waiting for city centre offices.

It will create a new urban quarter in the city which Mr Barrett said will be a “reimagining of Galway” in the run up to European City of Culture 2020.

He said: “Bonham Quay is a new departure for Galway. The creation of a new urban quarter will stimulate significant employment in Galway city and its environs and will have a ripple impact in the broader national economy.

“It will cement a reimagining of Galway as it moves toward 2020 and takes up the mantle of European Capital of Culture. It will make up for a dearth in city centre office space that has precluded major international occupiers of moving operations to the city. It will have a major positive impact on tourism, local entertainment and hospitality offerings.

“It will offer significant opportunities for Galway and its surrounding areas post-Brexit with ease of access to both Dublin and Shannon Airports. The quality of lifestyle in Galway is also sure to be a huge attraction for Foreign Direct Investment and their employees.

“We will work conscientiously with all stakeholders: government, national agencies, the local authority, elected officials, local business groups and engage with the wider community to deliver 2,600 jobs for Galway. It is our intention to deliver something quite exceptional for the city,” said Mr Barrett.

Source: http://connachttribune.ie/e100m-docks-development-create-500-construction-jobs-500/

€100m Docks Development To Create 500 Construction Jobs in Galway

Ireland’s unemployment rate has hit its lowest level since the beginning of 2008, after figures for the year so far were revised down.

Last month the unemployment rate was 6.1 per cent, not 6.3 per cent as had been estimated, and in July it was 6.2 per cent rather than 6.4 per cent. In the second quarter of this year the rate was also revised down to 6.2 per cent, its lowest point since the second quarter of 2008, according to previously published data.

“The seasonally adjusted number of persons unemployed was 136,700, the lowest since the second quarter of 2008 when the comparable figure was 127,200,” said Jim Dalton, a statistician at the Central Statistics Office.

The number of people in work in the three months to June was 48,100 higher than the same period a year earlier, reaching 2.06 million, a 2.4 per cent increase. On a seasonally adjusted basis, the employment rate rose 0.2 per cent compared with the first quarter.

Labour market data for the second quarter showed a “modest” 0.2 rise rise in employment on the quarter, with annual jobs growth at 2.4 per cent, Conall Mac Coille, an economist at Davy stockbrokers, said. “The relatively weak jobs figures for Q2 are probably just a blip, with most surveys still pointing to robust employment growth.”
<a href="https://www.jobalert.ie/jobs/"></a>



The strongest growing sectors were IT and telecoms, and construction, which experienced growth of 9.3 per cent and 7.7 per cent respectively. All regions except the border experienced positive employment growth in the first half of this year. The region with the strongest growth was the west, at 5.9 per cent.

Alison Wrynn, an economist with Ibec, the employers’ group, said: “The labour market is now approaching full employment with unemployment now at its lowest rate since 2008. However despite these gains, our labour force participation rate is still at 2012 levels. In a European context, this rate is very low. It is the fourth lowest of the EU average and more than 10 percentage points lower than the top performing countries. Budget 2018 must include measures that will address these issues by removing barriers to work. Despite some improvements in recent years, childcare costs in Ireland remain among the highest in Europe. This, combined with high marginal tax rates, acts as a deterrent to enter the workforce, particularly for second earners.

“We are already experiencing acute skills shortages in many sectors, and these will only get worse unless these issues are addressed.”

Source: <a href="https://www.thetimes.co.uk/edition/ireland/jobless-rate-reaches-lowest-point-since-before-the-crisis-f5hqvc7fc?t=ie">The Times</a>

Jobless rate reaches lowest point since before the crisis

Microsoft has announced the creation of 200 new jobs in Dublin, which will bring its Irish workforce to 2,000.

The company had announced in February that it would use Dublin as a base for one of its Inside Sales offices, with Microsoft staff here selling products across Europe, the Middle East and Africa.

At that time it said it would take on 500 people to staff that office - 80% of whom have already been hired.

The 200 jobs announced today are in addition to those positions, and Microsoft said it expects to have all 700 new jobs in position before the end of this year.

&quot;The continued contribution of the Dublin-based Inside Sales team to the company at a global level ensures that we are in a strong position when we seek to attract further investment to Ireland,&quot; commented Microsoft Ireland&#39;s managing director Cathriona Hallahan.

&quot;With the continued growth of our team and our preparations for a move into our new state of the art campus building, our fourth decade in Ireland is shaping up to be the best yet,&quot; Ms Hallahan added.

Minister for Business, Enterprise and Innovation Frances Fitzgerald said the jobs announcement demonstrates the opportunities that can be created for Ireland from our existing employers and investors.

It &quot;illustrates that the talent is available in Ireland for these types of jobs and for employers,&quot; the Minister added.



IDA Chief Executive Martin Shanahan said the addition of a further 200 roles to the EMEA Inside Sales team demonstrates the availability of highly-skilled technical and sales talent available in the region.

&quot;Microsoft&#39;s continued growth and commitment to Ireland has resulted in Dublin being a strategically important location for the company&#39;s global business,&quot; Mr Shanahan said.

&quot;Ireland is a global technology hub of choice when it comes to attracting the strategic business activities of ICT companies and Microsoft&#39;s ongoing expansion in Dublin is a clear endorsement of this,&quot; he added.

Microsoft first set up in Ireland in 1985 and its Irish operations now include the company&#39;s EMEA Data Centre, European Development Centre, EMEA Operations Centre and European Development Centre.

<a href="https://www.rte.ie/news/business/2017/1005/909864-microsoft-ireland-jobs/">Source: RTE NEWS</a>

Microsoft adds another 200 jobs to Irish workforce

<a href="https://www.siliconrepublic.com/author/john-kennedy">by John Kennedy</a>

Telecoms giant gets ready to mentor the next generation.

Three Ireland is launching a new two-year <a href="http://www.three.ie/graduate-programme">graduate programme</a> that will begin in 2018, with 15 paid learning opportunities for graduates.

The company is preparing to mentor the 15 people in areas including IT and networks, finance, marketing, business, human resources and customer relations.

‘In the fast-paced telecommunications industry, hard work and great ideas really matter’
– MARK REDMOND

“We are seeking enthusiastic, adaptable and commercially oriented graduates to join our team in 2018,” said <a href="https://www.siliconrepublic.com/people/three-ireland-hr-mark-redmond">Mark Redmond</a>, people and property director at Three.

“Our new graduate programme will offer a world-class talent experience, unlocking our graduates’ potential and empowering them to grow in their roles.”
Competitive benefits package for graduates
Three is accepting applications from graduates across all disciplines who have graduated with a 2.1 degree or hold master’s qualifications. Successful candidates will join Three’s team in Dublin city centre and complete three eight-month rotations in their area of study. They will receive a competitive salary and benefits package including a handset, annual bonus, pension, healthcare, 25 days of annual leave and more.

The application process for Three’s graduate programme will open on 25 September and close on 30 October 2017.

It is envisaged the graduates will begin their paid placement in September 2018.

“In the fast-paced telecommunications industry, hard work and great ideas really matter,” said Redmond.

“We’re looking for the very best talent to ensure we’re constantly exceeding our customers’ expectations. We want to challenge graduates to innovate and deliver real impacts to our business.

“Through continuous learning and development, we will help our graduates to take the first steps towards a rewarding career in a company where, if you work hard, anything is possible,” he added.

Three Ireland to hire 15 people in grad recruitment drive

The number of UK-based professionals seeking financial sector jobs in Ireland has risen beyond the post-Brexit surge observed in the initial aftermath of the June 2016 vote. This is according to data published today by the world’s largest job site, Indeed.

Analysis of the 18m monthly visitors to Indeed’s UK site shows a 39% increase in searches for finance related roles in Ireland from UK residents in the three months to the end of August 2017, compared to the three months in the lead up to the Brexit vote. This is an increase on the 37% jump observed in the three months immediately after the vote.

The new research also shows that interest in Ireland from European countries excluding the UK has accelerated since after the Brexit vote, suggesting that the lure of London as Europe’s traditional financial hub could be diminishing. From Europe, searches for finance roles are up 32% in recent months, compared to just 21% immediately after Brexit, suggesting Ireland’s attractiveness as a location has increased.

Looking at specific finance roles, the trend of increased interest from both the UK and Europe for roles in Ireland is also maintained. Over 6% of searches for accountancy roles in Ireland came from the UK in the last 3 months, compared to 3.7% pre-Brexit, and for finance analyst roles, the increase was from 6.0% pre-Brexit to 8.6% now.

Commenting on the data, Indeed’s EMEA economist, Mariano Mamertino said, &quot;Not only are growing numbers of British people searching for Irish jobs, so too are jobseekers from elsewhere in the EU. In the last three months jobseeker interest from European jobseekers for roles such as finance analyst or accountant has increased at a faster pace than that of UK-based ones.&quot;

He added, &quot;Indeed’s data highlights Ireland’s opportunity to attract international talent, however addressing bottlenecks in housing, commercial space and infrastructure are essential to ensure Ireland remains competitive and keeps its comparative advantage as an attractive destination for skilled professionals.&quot;

Source:<a href="http://www.businessworld.ie/"> www.businessworld.ie</a>

EUROPEAN DEMAND FOR FINANCE ROLES SHIFTING TO DUBLIN

Source: RTE

The Living Wage has been increased by 20 cent to €11.70 an hour by the Living Wage technical group.

The group is made up of researchers and academics and is conducted by the Vincentian Partnership for Social Justice (VPSJ).

The Living Wage is distinct from the minimum wage which stands at €9.25 at the moment and is set by the Government&#39;s low pay commission.

The 20 cent increase in the Living Wage was arrived at upon consideration of a number of changes in the cost of living and the taxation regime in the last year.

While the cost of many components actually decreased and changes to the universal social charge increased net pay, the one big driver of the increase was housing costs and rents in particular.

The technical group noted that rents increased by over €15 per week in Dublin on average in the last year.

The Living Wage for the Republic of Ireland was established in 2014, and is updated in July of each year.

It is part of a growing international trend to establish an evidence-based hourly income that a full-time worker needs so that they can experience a socially acceptable minimum standard of living.

Living Wage to increase by 20 cent

When people think of moving to New Zealand, they think of pretty images of lush greenery and snow-capped mountains. And then there&#39;s the draw of great work-life balance — and shelter from an apocalypse, no less.

But to build itself into a technology hub, it needs the specialised workforce.

Wellington, the country&#39;s capital with a population just under 500,000, is working on that by offering 100 tech workers a free week-long trip to the city, under its LookSee Wellington programme.

The unconventional marketing plan will fly you out, if you agree to pre-arranged job interviews with companies in the area.

It seems to have worked. LookSee Wellington said it received 48,000 applications, crashing the website at least once, with 63 of the 93 people who came on the trip in May accepting job offers.

One of these people is 31-year-old Darren Kidd from Perth, Australia, who will be moving with his wife Alyssa and daughter Isobel to Wellington on Monday after long having the &quot;travel bug.&quot;

Kidd has spent most of his life in Perth, where he attended university and worked in various IT roles throughout the past ten years. He had been to New Zealand for a holiday, and had such a great time in the country that he signed up to a mailing list for jobs a year ago.

Then one day in February, a promotional email for LookSee Wellington dropped in his inbox.

&quot;It was too good an opportunity to not go and apply,&quot; he said. The move made sense for him and his wife, whose daughter is only one.

<a href="https://www.jobalert.ie/wp-content/uploads/2017/07/new-zealand1.jpg"></a>

&quot;We didn&#39;t want to be too mean to aunties and uncles and grandparents, and move too far away,&quot; he explained.

As an Australian, Kidd is in the minority of people who came on the junket. The majority, to little surprise, are from the U.S. (29 people), followed by Canada (9), UK (8), and India (7).

&quot;A lot of people were keen to experience life somewhere else in the world,&quot; Kidd said of the people on the trip. &quot;They sold the Wellington lifestyle really well, everyone was super keen to try it out and see if it was for them, and I think for those who got offers it was a fairly easy decision.&quot;

Kidd said the trip itself had a very &quot;tight timeline,&quot; where he spent the Sunday morning getting over his jetlag on a bus tour, then whisked to an interview a day over four days.

He ended up accepting a developer role with accounting software firm Xero, because he wanted to return to his roots as a software engineer, and was enamoured with the company&#39;s culture.

&quot;Everything I experienced in their offices, or read, or talked about them has just been saturated with a love of their customers and a love of the people who work there,&quot; Kidd said.

The Wellington Regional Economic Development Agency (WREDA) spent NZ$300,000 (US$224,000) on the campaign. It&#39;s not a cheap exercise, but it said the investment would boost to the region&#39;s economy, and Wellington&#39;s profile as a tech hub.

The ultimate test, perhaps, is on just how many will stay for the long-haul. But for Kidd, admittedly &quot;a bit stressed&quot; by the logistics of the move, is raring to go.new

&quot;There&#39;s so much excitement, but of course a little bit of nervousness. It&#39;s a long way to go, and there&#39;s no turning back after this,&quot; Kidd said.

Source: BY <a href="http://mashable.com/2017/07/28/looksee-wellington-lure-talent/?utm_cid=mash-com-fb-main-link#Bo.zgbRdPsq3">JOHNNY LIEU</a>

New Zealand is luring the world's tech talent!

There are few if any upsides to Brexit for Ireland. But one small potential silver lining to that dark cloud is that we could become an attractive location for high-calibre jobs leaving Britain and seeking another EU location.


The IDA, which did very good work attracting inward investment in the teeth of the recent recession, is again on the case here. Access to EU markets, an educated English-speaking workforce, respect for the rule of law, a reasonably efficient dispute-resolution system, and the 12.5pc company tax rates, are known to be advantages that this country can use.

But when it comes to getting some of those premium jobs, there are other factors which focus on the quality of life we can offer. Here it is about urban planning, traffic management, and a sense that our political leaders and administrators have a bigger-picture vision of where this country is going.


Adequate and affordable housing is crucial. This again gives yet more incentives, to add to the basic humanitarian reasons, to resolve the housing crisis which is a blight on our land right now.

The alarming gaps in our public transport systems, when compared with other EU member states, is another issue which must be tackled. In this newspaper today, senior IDA executives speak frankly of the need to address these and other issues.

Ever the pragmatists, they accept that the Government is grappling with legacy issues, after years of recession when money was not available for infrastructural investment. Our difficulties cannot be resolved overnight - but the production of credible plans to tackle them, and evidence of progress in doing so, would be a very good start.

Source: <a href="http://www.independent.ie/opinion/editorial/more-to-job-creation-than-just-tax-breaks-36186941.html">www.independent.ie</a>

More to job creation than just tax breaks

by Gordon Hunt

Fresh from significant EU funding earlier this year, Limerick-based DesignPro is now on a recruitment drive.

DesignPro, a company looking to get its turbine technology out into the wild, has had a busy couple of years.

In early 2016, for example, it was one of a select few Irish businesses to land €50,000 in EU funding to develop its energy product.

Meeting energy demands
It was, at the time, aiming to commercialise its hydrokinetic turbine, which harnesses the energy of the world’s rivers, canals and estuaries.

That hasn’t changed, with a further €2.7m secured earlier this year as the EU followed through with its plans to back new ways of generating energy.

The project got the funding to commercialise small-scale river turbines up to 100kW utilising technology from local company GKinetic. The support has been such that it is now on the lookout for talent.

The duo partnered up earlier this year, creating 15 positions through the project development stage, basically planning for how to get the turbines to market. At the time, a further 35 jobs were suggested as a follow-on, but reports over the weekend upped that figure to 50.

Speaking to the Sunday Independent, Paul Collins, DesignPro’s MD, said the technology can help future energy demands.

“It’s a very simple mechanism. What we do is we take the flow of water and we move it around on a rounded surface. When you do that, it increases in velocity, twofold.”
<a href="https://www.jobalert.ie/jobs/"></a>
EU acknowledges success
The €2.7m EU funding, which was secured in March, matched the average weekly return Irish companies and researchers are winning, in general, since the Horizon 2020 (H2020) programme began.

DesignPro’s success to date was celebrated two weeks ago, with Dr Imelda Lambkin, national director for H2020, awarding State certification to a series of funding winners.

Collins, for his role with DesignPro, was one such recipient.

Limerick growth
Last month, Limerick was the home of even greater jobs news, with Northern Trust bulking up its presence there, targeting a total staff count of 1,400 across its two sites.

With Limerick representing a fund administration centre of excellence for the company, Clive Bellows, country head of Northern Trust in Ireland, claimed that the news confirms a fresh commitment to the nation.

“We have seen growth in the scale and operation of our Irish business over the years and the continued expansion of our office in Limerick reflect[s] this,” he said, acknowledging IDA’s assistance in the process.

University of Limerick and Limerick IT were also name-checked by Bellows, noting his company’s “strong relationships” with the educational institutions.

Meanwhile, last week, Irish IT support firm BITS revealed plans to grow its staff numbers after agreeing to partner with digital forensics group CipherTechs.

Limerick gets jobs boost with EU funding

Source: European Commission

Are you...

aged 18-35?
* a national and legal resident of an EU Member State, Norway or Iceland?
* unable to find a job or training opportunity in your country?
* willing to relocate to another EU Member State, Norway or Iceland for a job, traineeship or apprenticeship?

If so, then Your first EURES job could be the solution for you.

What&#39;s in it for me?

Your first EURES job is a European Union job mobility scheme to help young EU citizens to find a job, traineeship or apprenticeship opportunity in another EU country, Norway or Iceland and to help employers find qualified workforce. It aims to match young jobseekers with remunerated employment offers across Europe. Placements must have a duration of at least 6 months (for jobs and apprenticeships) or 3 months (for traineeships).

Through Your first EURES job you can receive information, job search, matching and recruitment assistance. You may also be eligible for financial support to attend an interview abroad, as well as to cover costs such as language training, recognition of qualifications or relocation to the destination country.

What qualifications do I need?

Your first EURES job is open to candidates with different levels of education and/or work experience.

How can I take part?

The Your first EURES job guide sets out the conditions and rules governing participation.

Please find below the links to the lead employment services and their partner employment services offering the scheme. If your country does not yet offer these services or some country web links are not active, you can contact the lead employment services.

[video width=&quot;854&quot; height=&quot;480&quot; mp4=&quot;https://www.jobalert.ie/wp-content/uploads/2017/07/Your-first-EURES-job.mp4&quot; poster=&quot;https://www.jobalert.ie/wp-content/uploads/job-manager-uploads/company_logo/2017/07/JobAlert-Ad.jpg&quot;][/video]

For more details, you can also consult the Your first EURES job list of employment services and their partners at EU level.
 <a href="https://ec.europa.eu/eures/public/your-first-eures-job-js">To Find Your First EURES Job -&gt; CLICK HERE</a><a href="https://www.jobalert.ie/wp-content/uploads/2017/07/Your-First-EU-Job.jpg"></a>

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