New €1.9m Technology Initiative Launched

The government has launched a new national initiative aimed at branding Ireland as a top destination to pursue a career in technology.

The €1.9 million initiative, Tech/Life Ireland, was launched by the Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation, Mary Mitchell O'Connor.

The initiative is funded by the Department of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation and will be delivered in partnership with Enterprise Ireland, IDA Ireland and the tech industry to help attract up to 3,000 top tech professionals to Ireland each year.

Tech/Life Ireland is a focused international marketing initiative with a dedicated website, www.techlifeireland.com, to attract talented and experienced tech experts to Ireland and to promote top tech career opportunities.

The initiative uses digital and social media to showcase the unrivalled lifestyle, tech environment and job opportunities available in Ireland. Initial target markets include countries in Central and Southern Europe. These have been identified based on detailed analysis of talent movement, local search activity and consultation with recruitment professionals from industry.

Speaking at the launch of the initiative, Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation, Mary Mitchell O'Connor, said: "If we are to continue to win overseas investment in ICT-related jobs, and to grow the strong base of Irish-owned companies in ICT and related areas, we need to ensure that we have a sufficient supply of talent to meet the needs of enterprises.

"The growth we are seeing in ICT employment requires us to supplement the supply of our own excellent graduates with overseas talent. The Tech/Life Ireland campaign is focused on attracting top-end professionals to work and live in Ireland. It will not lessen the opportunities for Irish graduates, but will add to the overall diversity, knowledge base and experience in the ICT workforce."

Karl Flannery, CEO of Storm Technology and Chair of the Tech/Life Ireland delivery group also said: "Industry and government recognise the need to attract top tech talent to work in Ireland. We have engaged extensively together to understand the needs of the industry in the coming years and to develop this initiative.

"We are delighted to launch it today. I would encourage companies to register with the initiative and keep Ireland's tech sector thriving through the attraction of the world's best talent."

(MH)