Microelectronics Week 2013

Microelectronics Week 2013 begins

Life

4 November 2013

According to survey data released today at the beginning of Microelectronics Week 2013, 1,200 new jobs will be created by 2016 within the existing Irish operations of a range of microelectronics companies.

The 31 key industry players surveyed also revealed that they had hired 972 people in the past three years. Some 752 of these jobs were for experienced professionals and new engineering graduates, demonstrating the role the microelectronics industry is playing in creating the high-level, knowledge-focused jobs central to a sustainable Irish economic recovery.

The data provided a snapshot of current job vacancies in the industry, revealing that 44 open positions are available in the firms at present.

The survey, conducted by MIDAS Ireland (Microelectronics Industry Design Association), was launched today at the beginning of Microelectronics Week.

“Microelectronics is a high tech, research-dependent sector on which many fast-growing parts of the ICT industry rely – smartphones, for example. Ireland has a fast growing microelectronics industry, with thousands of people employed, billions of euros in exports, and many more jobs set to be added in the coming years. Microelectronics Week is a welcome opportunity to highlight the important role the sector is playing in our economy, and to assess how best we can capitalise on and grow our global presence in the industry in future years,” said Minister Bruton.

The survey also revealed that the vast majority of microelectronics firms invested in their Irish operations in the last two years.

“That’s a claim that can be made for very few other industries,” said John Blake, chairman of MIDAS. “68% of those polled confirmed that they had invested in their base here in 2012 or 2013. Furthermore, over half of the microelectronics firms said they had invested in research projects into new areas during the past twelve months. These are the welcome actions of a sure-footed industry, investing to enable future growth and displaying confidence in Ireland as a long-term business and R&D location.

“The theme of Microelectronics Week this year is ‘research in action.’ Many of the jobs that were created in the last three years were as the result of new microelectronics design research programmes which were established here. Some of the globe’s leading funders and researchers alike have begun to concentrate major R&D efforts in Ireland, and the week is partly about celebrating the progress which has been made in establishing Ireland as a world capital of discovery in microelectronics.”

Microelectronics Week, organised by MIDAS Ireland with the support of the IDA and Enterprise Ireland, will run until Friday the 8 November.

TechCentral Reporters

Read More:


Back to Top ↑

TechCentral.ie