As the global economy pivots toward sustainable practices, Ireland has the potential to become a leader in this transition, due to a combination of ambitious climate goals, attracting more green-focused Foreign Direct Investment, and the growing demand for specialised green skills across industries.<\/p>\n
Data shows that global demand for green talent grew twice as quickly as supply between 2023 and 2024, with demand increasing by 11.6% and supply by 5.6%. Ireland experienced a 22.1% spike in job postings requiring green skills over 2024, compared to a global increase of 11.6%.<\/p>\n
In its latest Labour Market Pulse report, IDA Ireland, in collaboration with Microsoft and LinkedIn, revealed the percentage of job postings requiring green skills in Ireland is one of the highest internationally, with one in eight jobs now requiring at least one green skill.<\/p>\n
The global demand for green skills is rapidly outpacing supply, with estimates indicating that by 2050 twice as many jobs will require green expertise than there will be people qualified to fill them. This trend has been evident for an extended period now with LinkedIn\u2019s analysis also highlighting that demand for green skills in Ireland grew at twice the rate of the rest of the world \u2014 11.9% versus 6% \u2014 between 2021-2024.<\/p>\n
Green talent has become highly attractive to employers, as Irish job seekers with green skills or titles achieve a 79.8% higher hiring rate than the workforce overall.<\/p>\n
Commenting on the Labour Market Pulse, James O\u2019Connor, Microsoft Ireland Site Lead and Corporate Vice President of Microsoft Global Operations Service Center, said: \u201cAs Ireland advances on its sustainability journey, it is important that every community, business and individual has the right capabilities to support the green transition.<\/p>\n
“The Labour Market Pulse highlights the need for greater investment in green skills across key industries to accelerate a zero-carbon future for Ireland.”<\/span><\/p>\n He added that it is crucial that Government, industry and the academic sector work closely together to ensure that every person can develop the key skills and capabilities to work and thrive in a net zero society.<\/p>\n \u201cAt Microsoft, as part of our commitment to be a carbon-negative and zero waste company by 2030, we\u2019re proud to play our part by rolling out skilling programmes that are equipping learners and communities around the country with the skills for success to empower the workforce of today and tomorrow.\u201d<\/p>\n Ireland\u2019s\u00a0Climate Action Plan 2024\u00a0has locked critical sustainability targets into legislation, mandating that by 2030 80% of the nation\u2019s electricity will come from renewable sources. To support these goals, IDA Ireland has facilitated more than 50 green investments, fostering a diverse ecosystem of innovation.<\/p>\n From wind turbine technologies to AI-driven energy distribution, companies are investing in Ireland\u2019s sustainable future, creating new jobs in green sectors.<\/p>\n \u201cSustainability is a key focus in IDA\u2019s strategy, and we are committed to helping multinationals in Ireland achieve their sustainability goals. IDA have facilitated 50 green investments so far, and we are looking forward to continuing that progress,\u2019\u2019 said Michael Lohan, CEO, IDA Ireland.<\/p>\n LinkedIn Ireland Country Manager, Sue Duke, added: \u201cThe climate crisis is the biggest challenge facing society and green talent will be central to overcoming it. We can already see that Irish companies are stepping up to play their part, as evidenced by the high levels of hiring for workers with green skills and it is crucial that supply is boosted in order to meet demand.<\/p>\n “Upskilling will play a crucial role as we cannot simply wait for new talent with the requisite skills to enter the workforce to deliver on this.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"