IrishJobs has published data that shows construction workers were among the most in demand professionals in 2023.

As well as posting their jobs on IrishJobs, many employers and recruiters search the IrishJobs TalentBank, a CV database of more than 1.2 million job candidates, to source and connect with potential talent. By examining the searches conducted by businesses and recruitment agencies this year, data from TalentBank reveals the most sought after professionals.

Growing impact of a skills shortage

Results show that the number of employers looking for site manager and site engineer professionals has risen significantly over the past year. Both positions now rank among the top ten most looked-for professionals in 2023, indicating the growing impact of a skills shortage in the construction sector.

Demand for site engineers has more than tripled (255%) and more than doubled (157%) for site managers year-on-year from Q3 2022 to Q3 2023. Quantity surveyors also rank highly in the top professionals employers are searching for, featuring at seventh in this year’s results.

Nurses, financial accountants and engineers are among the other most sought-after professionals by employers, all of which have experienced significant Y-o-Y growth. Demand for engineers has increased by 21% Y-o-Y from Q3 2022 to Q3 2023.

In addition to the insights on TalentBank searches, IrishJobs published data from its platforms on the most frequently posted job openings by employers in 2023.

In the IT sector, lead data architect experienced the largest Y-o-Y increase in job postings, indicating the rising demand for data management skills as more organisations leverage AI and big data capabilities. 

Senior medical scientist is the most in-demand job for 2023 in the science and pharma sector, QC analyst in the manufacturing sector and financial services manager in banking. 

Jobs market robust

Sam Dooley, country director of the Stepstone Group Ireland with responsibility for IrishJobs, said: “Despite slowing economic growth, the jobs market in Ireland remains robust, with a record number of people in employment according to recent figures from the CSO. As the tight labour market persists, competition among firms in attracting and retaining talent remains fierce.

"As well as advertising their jobs, many recruiters also use the IrishJobs TalentBank database of 1.2 million CVs to reach out and engage with job candidates across the island of Ireland. This data provides an important insight into the roles and skills most sought after by employers.

"Data reveals an exceptional increase in demand for skilled professionals in the construction sector over the past year. With warnings from the Fiscal Advisory Council earlier this year regarding skills shortages in the construction sector, there is a clear need for upskilling and reskilling in the sector to meet high levels of demand.

"Ambitious national housing and climate targets means that the high demand for skills in the sector is unlikely to abate in the medium term. Addressing these needs will likely require a strategy that includes a focus on development programmes for workers currently within the sector, attracting new talent by promoting careers in the sector in tandem with increasing availability of training places and the recruitment of skilled talent at an international level.”

For further information on the data, please visit www.IrishJobs.ie.