A new report commissioned by Bank of Ireland and HRM has highlighted significant nationwide skills gaps for Irish SMEs. Despite over one in four (28%) SME manufacturing companies hiring new staff since the start of 2018, more than 4 out of 10 (44%) say that maintaining and hiring a skilled workforce is a real concern for the future.
Brían Evans, Head of Manufacturing at Bank of Ireland said; “Leading sector indicators over the past few years have shown consistent employment growth and increased demand for Irish produced products in home and export markets. After Brexit, the hiring and retention of a skilled workforce is one of the main challenges for manufacturers. With unemployment in Ireland at the lowest level since before the financial crisis in 2008, competition for skilled workers is increasing across industries with recent research from the construction sector also highlighting major challenges.”
See the full report here
