Software

The slump that affected the IT sector just after the turn of the millennium had a negative impact on the number of students taking software courses, but this fall-off – combined with the presence of leading international companies and the emergence of indigenous development firms – has created new opportunities for those interested in a career in software.

The dotcom boom may be nothing more than an increasingly distant memory, but there are still a healthy number of positions available to skilled software developers. For example, of the 71 industry projects secured by the IDA in 2006, more than half involved technology companies.
Ireland is still attracting investment from leading international software companies. Company chiefs from the largest multinationals have repeatedly stated that a skilled workforce is one of the major reasons why Ireland is well placed to win major new investments now and in the future.
ICT Ireland, which represents the high tech sector, recently launched a report entitled Why Ireland should be your location of choice. The report found that more than 83,000 people are employed in the information, communications and technology (ICT) sector, more than half of whom hold a third level qualification.

Another reason why Ireland should continue to be attractive to overseas businesses is the emerging local research base, with investment in place to double the number of PhDs in the country over the next six years.

The IDA’s 2006 end of year statement showed that while the number of companies investing in Ireland has remained steady since 2004, the number of research and development projects has increased from 36 in 2004 to 54 in 2006. Over the same period, total R&D investment has more than tripled. There is also a vibrant indigenous software industry, with many local firms having become leading players in their field.

In 2003 ICT Ireland – in association with Engineers Ireland – established the Graduate Placement Programme. Successful candidates take up placements of six months or longer with participating ICT companies in Ireland.

The programme was instigated to provide a valuable introduction into the world of employment in the ICT sector, allowing candidates to develop their skills in a real work environment while providing employers with a pool of qualified, experienced graduates.

The programme is open to applicants who have graduated with a degree or masters qualification in ICT related engineering, computer science or other related disciplines in the last two years.
Incentives are also likely to become more commonplace as the government seeks to reverse the fall in the number of students choosing courses in computer and technology related subjects. Earlier this year, Queen’s University Belfast introduced a bursary of £1000 to all top class students who enrol in traditional science and engineering degree courses.

’Students should be aware that the technology sector is a great place in which to work. Courses in this field will provide graduates with the skills and knowledge needed for success throughout their professional life,’ said Kathryn Raleigh, ICT Ireland director.

The financial rewards are also considerable. The most recent Forfas report on comparative starting salaries showed that the highest paid graduates after medicine are those in engineering, computing and science.

‘The report confirms the message that there are well paid jobs out there and that we need bright young graduates to fill them,’ said Raleigh. ‘The ICT sector is one of the most significant contributors to the Irish economy and if we are to continue to foster a knowledge economy we must ensure that talented young people are attracted into the high-tech sector.’

A variety of postgraduate courses (including conversion opportunities) are available to those interested in a career in software development. Research opportunities also exist in a number of centres such as the Centre for Software Engineering (CSE) and Lero, the Irish software engineering research centre.

The CSE is the national focal point and support service for the software development community within Ireland, helping it to improve its quality and productivity and implement best practice.

The CSE’s graduate training programme is available to recent graduates in computer science or software engineering who are working as a software engineer (irrespective of their precise job title) and have at least six months experience.

This six month programme of 14 one day workshops aims to raise the level of professionalism among software professionals early in their career and is designed to round off any undergraduate skills already gained. The programme emphasises ‘real-world’ issues and material not generally covered, or appropriate, within traditional undergraduate courses, but which is essential for effective good practice in employment as a software professional.

In September, Lero was awarded €7.3 million to fund a new centre in the University of Limerick and to develop a new PhD programme. The centre - with bases in other third-level institutions - received the funding under the Programme for Research in Third-Level Institutions (PRTLI) Cycle 4 programme by the Higher Education Authority.

Professor Kevin Ryan, the centre’s director, said the money would fund a software engineering PhD research education programme, which it is scheduled to begin in 2008. The course, the first of its kind in Ireland, will help students develop the necessary skills to carry out high quality research. Ryan said students would be able to choose a number of classroom based courses during the first year of their PhD and that the centre hopes to attract international PhD students to the programme within the next two to three years.