Ten building engineering jobs to every graduate as DIT launches new campaign ahead of CAO applications
Engineering companies across Ireland are urging students to consider the possibilities a career in building engineering now offers ahead of the CAO deadline in February.
The call comes as Dublin Institute of Technology (DIT) launches a new campaign to encourage students to consider building engineering, with the Institute estimating that there are now as many as ten jobs available to every graduate of the course.
The need for building engineering graduates has resulted in big industry players as well as the Association of Consulting Engineers of Ireland. (ACEI) partnering with DIT to support a recruitment and advertising drive to highlight the extremely promising and sustainable career opportunities that exist in the area for motivated students.
With the first CAO application closing-date on February 1 and the online facility to amend course choices available from February 5, Ciara Ahern, Head of Building Engineering at DIT, highlighted the potential for career development in the area, pointing out that the discipline isn’t very well understood.
She said: “Building engineers are the highest paid engineers in the construction sector earning a starting salary that is typically €5,000 more than other graduates.
"Graduates often express surprise that they are immediately put to work on high-end prestigious projects on graduation.
"We pride ourselves on producing work-ready graduates that require very little further training and are thus of value to companies immediately.
"This means our graduates get a jump-start, climbing the career ladder rapidly. Within a very short timeframe graduates of this discipline are able to command very healthy salaries, such is the demand for their skills.” Ahern said.
Jim Curley, Group Chief Executive at Jones Engineering Group, said: "There is a shortage of graduates with the building engineering skills needed by industry.
"These graduates are required amongst other things to support large-scale, high-end projects in all facets of building engineering. Opportunities abound not just at home but overseas for these graduates.”
In a recent survey of almost 1,700 employers and employees by recruitment firm Hays Ireland, building engineers were in the top-three roles most sought after by employers for 2018.
It is expected that job opportunities in the low-carbon economy are also set to increase from 9 million to 20 million by 2030, which in practice could present a doubling of the workforce.
