Forum event asserts tech role in recovery

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The European Tech Cluster has recently held a forum which was aimed at demonstrating how Ireland’s IT sector can spearhead the country’s recovery.

Entitled "Eliminating the Budget Deficit & Building the Skills Pipeline," the forum took place at the Council Chambers, County Hall, Cork, with over 150 people attending. The event provided an opportunity for business to hear detailed proposals from a range of speakers about how the technology sector can promote job creation and help eliminate the countries budget deficit.

Denis Collins, chairman, European Tech Cluster, presented details of research from PwC that outlined "the real opportunity that exists" to allow Ireland benefit from bringing "the world’s top technology talent to our shores". Each experienced technology worker that joins our companies in Ireland, said Collins, results in multiple jobs being created. There are thousands of jobs in the technology sector in Ireland and if filled, further jobs for graduates and those unemployed can be created, it was argued.
 
While the organisers admit that the title of the forum is ambitious, the economic arguments behind it were set out in detail by a panel of speakers including representatives of the Irish Business Employers Federation (IBEC) and technology leaders including Bob Savage, vice president and general manager, EMC Ireland, and Sean O’Sullivan, managing director, AVEGO.
 
Speakers gave examples from their own experience on how more jobs can be created by filling existing roles, and also about the wider impact on local and national economies. Paul Sweetman, director of IBEC’s Technology Sector, said its members are acutely aware of the opportunities that exist within their sector to increase employment. It was emphasised that the key elements are to ensure that Irish indigenous companies continue to grow and expand and multi-national companies that are based in Ireland continue to have access to a readily available supply of technology workers.

"If we can get this right," said Collins, "we can help the Government to bridge the budget deficit, while also having an immediate and long term impact on our sector and our economy."

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