UCD Professional Academy

May 12, 2023

I spoke to UCD Professional Academy about the top 5 up and coming careers in Ireland –

Thanks in part to Ireland’s thriving tech sector and the new world of remote work, there is an incredibly diverse and exciting job market in Ireland right now. You maybe actively job hunting, or thinking about a finding a new career path. There’s never been a better time to upskill and take the next step in your career journey!

As Laura Griffin, a Dublin-based career coach tells us, “the best jobs in Ireland will ask you to apply your past work experience to your new skills and think creatively, analytically, and sustainably.”

What are the five most promising career paths in Ireland? Let’s dive in.

1. Data Analytics

Back in 2015, Forfas and the Expert Group on Future Skills Needs identified Ireland as being on “the precipice of a data analytics tsunami” with 21,000 jobs created in Ireland by 2020. And their prediction turned out to be an understatement.

The digital transformation puts data analytics jobs at the forefront of the Irish (and global) economy. Why?

Because every business in Ireland has the potential to become a data-driven business.

And as the Internet of Things, Artificial Intelligence, Machine Learning, and quantum computing continue to develop, so too will the sheer amount of data for analysis.

Even as the need for data analysis professionals grows, there’s still a shortage of these skills both in Ireland and around the world.

How Can You Get a Data Analyst Job?

One of the most exciting things about the growth of data analysis is that you can transition into data analysis as a new grad or from another discipline. You don’t need a whole new undergraduate degree.

Data analysis also requires a lot of transferable skills you already developed in another job, such as problem solving and strong communication. If you’re someone who loves exploring data, exceptionally curious, and detail-oriented, then you may find your niche in data analytics.

Considering a move into data analysis position? Stand out from the crowd with UCD Professional Academy’s certificates:

What’s a Typical Data Analyst Career Path?

With a qualification in data analytics, you’re ready to enter the job market. But what’s the outlook for your career?

Depending on past experience, you’re mostly to start out in a hands-on role as a data analyst or junior analyst. Your day-to-day role will include extracting data, polishing it, and performing analysis.

After a year or two, you’ll then climb the ladder to reach a mid-level data analysis or senior analysis position. As you grow in your career, you can then start to think about leadership roles or data analysis specialities, like finance, healthcare, insurance, digital marketing, systems, and Machine Learning.

Who’s Hiring for Data Analysts in Ireland?

Everyone

Businesses across the private sector are all looking for data analysts to join their team. Some of the companies who recently posted ads for Data Analysts on LinkedIn include:

Bank of Ireland
Groupon
Eli LIlly
Uber
Bord Gais Energy
Squarespace
Accenture
2K
Zurich Insurance Company

2. Digital Marketing

Digital marketing jobs are another of the top growing and in-demand jobs both in Ireland and around the world. Like data analysis, growth will continue as the pace of the digital transformation picks up.

Digital marketing jobs will be some of the 150 million new technology jobs created around the world over the next five years.

Even better, digital marketing jobs are projected to see significant salary growth and become some of the best paid jobs in ireland.

What Does It Take to Work in Digital Marketing?

Unlike past marketing roles, digital marketing careers now require more than marketing or advertising-savvy. Strategy and data analysis play an increasingly important role in digital marketing jobs, particularly as you progress in your career. The ability to parse data and generate strategic insights based on data is as important as creating the right images and copy.

Additionally, digital marketing jobs are also fueled by the creative industries. Digital marketing managers in 2025 will need to know not only social media, blogging, and written digital assets, but will increasingly need to be fluent in video content and podcasting.

The great thing about digital marketing roles is that there are several points of entry into the field. You don’t need an undergraduate degree in marketing to land a good job. LIke data analysis jobs, marketers benefit from skills they picked up in their career.

However, a foundation in digital marketing concepts can go a long way to not only helping you land a job but also excel in your new role within the first few months.

A few UCD Professional Academy courses catering to new digital marketers include:

What’s the Typical Digital Marketing Career Path?

Digital marketing includes a long list of disciplines, and in many cases, you’ll get to chase the one you’re most interested in, whether it’s email, SEO, content, pay-per-click (PPC), or social media.

Though, if you work for an SME or a startup, you could find yourself running all of the above as part of a small team!

Growing your career in digital marketing can mean specialisation, such as becoming an SEO or paid media expert. After five to seven years experience, career progression can also mean transitioning into a senior role, like senior digital marketing manager and head of digital marketing.

According to CPL, Head of Marketing/Chief Marketing Officer is one of the best paid jobs in Ireland already in 2021.

Remember: if you can’t find the senior marketing role you want, you can always create your own. Ireland has a fleet of digital marketing freelancers and consultants, who set their own path (and salary)! There’s no limits to what you can do with your digital marketing skills.

Who’s Hiring in Digital Marketers in Ireland?

Like data analysis, every business in Ireland can benefit from a digital marketing pro. So, you’ll find jobs across the economy from tech to banking to healthcare to Irish SMEs.

Some recent digital marketing job ads on LinkedIn came from:

Slack
Diageo
Accenture
Allianz
Ryanair
Virgin Media Ireland
innocent drinks
Asana
Freshly Chopped

Do you like the idea of having a finger in multiple pies and working across industries? Agency life might be for you. Some of Ireland’s top digital marketing agencies include:

Wolfgang Digital
256
Squaredot
SWOT Digital marketing
Sing!
Glassfull Media
Maverick International

3. Green Transformation & Sustainable Development Supply Chains

Ambitious green policies fuel a green economy, which leads to job creation in new or existing ‘green’ sectors.

Here in Ireland, you can predict green and sustainability jobs in part through government plans. In April 2021, the government published its first circular economy strategy, including a grant scheme and a new approach to waste prevention.

According to the Irish Institute of Training and Development, the green transformation will open up the following skills and jobs in Ireland:

Renewable energies
Energy efficient building, design, and construction
Clean tech (energy efficient tech or tech-applications
Sustainable logistics and supply chain management
Sustainable finance (capital for clean energy investment)
Eco-friendly and sustainable retail
Waste management recovery and recycling

As we make these changes, Ireland will need a larger stock of supply chain managers, in particular, who have the skills to help Ireland transition into its low-carbon future.

Some of the UCD Professional Academy courses that can help you get into these future-proof jobs include:

Who’s Hiring for Green Transformation Jobs in Ireland?

Green supply chain management jobs pop up across the Irish economy. You can find your green role at companies like:

PepsiCo
Amazon
Novartis
Glanbia
UPS Ireland
Penneys

4. eCommerce

It’s no secret that eCommerce itself is on a hockey-stick upward trajectory. In part fueled by the digital transformation and of course short-term bumps like the COVID-19 pandemic, eCommerce is now the new modus operandi for much of the Irish economy

Even businesses who couldn’t fathom even running a website a few years ago now run at least part of their business online.

According to LinkedIn, the number of e-commerce hires rose 143% in the UK between April and October 2020. A similar trajectory is likely also true for Ireland; not only is e-commerce growing at a fast clip, but Ireland is also home to e-commerce platforms and development giants, including Amazon (Cork) and Shopify (Dublin).

It’s no surprise that eCommerce is going to be one of the most in-demand jobs in Ireland in 2025.

Are you keen to get into e-commerce or even take your current business to the web? Jumpstart your career with a UCD Professional Academy course, like:

What Kind of Jobs Are Available in E-commerce?

E-commerce offers varied opportunities for people with many different skills. Whether you’ve an analytic mind or you live to build relationships or a vision for product, there’s a role for you.

Many people get into e-commerce as a customer service representative or digital marketing specialist.

However, there are also roles for those who with a bit more professional experience training such as:

User experience (UX) designer
Community manager
Developer & full stack developer
Data or business analyst
IT technician

E-commerce is also part of the green transformation, which means there’s plenty of room for green-focused supply chain managers among warehouses. Amazon, in particular, is working to transition its supply chain into a sustainable one.

All these roles have room to grow to management positions and offer transferable skills for career opportunities outside of e-commerce, like Software as a Service (SaaS) jobs.

Who’s Hiring E-commerce Roles in Ireland?

Keen on e-commerce? Ireland is home to e-commerce start-ups and giants. And of course, more and more irish businesses now need help with their own e-commerce operations.

A few of the companies recently hiring e-commerce roles on LinkedIn include:

Lidl
Toptal
Global Payments
The Coca Cola Company
Zalando
Wayfair

5. Financial Services and Fintech:

Ireland has long been a financial hub, and the Irish government is bullish on keeping it that way. And fintech is, as KPMG says, a natural fit for Ireland, given it’s preexisting financial services centres and its ever-growing tech prowess.

According to KPMG, the Irish fintech industry saw a record period of activity in the first of the pandemic. While fintech became more important as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, it’s also very much the new industry’s time to shine as the digital transformation picks up speed. Players like Limerick-based CloudCards picked up $2.2 million in venture capital funding and Supply Finance (Dublin-based) pocketed $1.96 million.

It’s not just VCs with an interest in fintech; financial institutions also intend to increase fintech partnerships over the next five years. In 2017, Bank of Ireland launched Bank of Ireland Global Payments; AIB partnered with Sia to launch Synch Payments in 2021 in an attempt to take on Revolut.

As fintech grows, it will attract some of Ireland’s top talent in every discipline. From data analysts to developers to cybersecurity roles, the growing payments sector will offer real, future-proof jobs with excellent salaries.

How can you get involved? It takes all kinds of professionals to run a fintech enterprise, no matter how streamlined the product is. UCD Professional Academy courses can help you transition into a fintech role with a Professional Diploma in Fintech or a Certificate in Data Analytics for Finance.

What Are Some Careers Offered in Fintech?

Fintech careers can take many forms from risk and compliance to blockchain developer to digital marketing. All they ask is that you come ready to redefine existing modes of working with an eye on the latest technology.

Who’s Hiring in Fintech in Ireland?

With record investment, Irish fintechs and global financial services are poised to hire. Some of the companies recently hiring in Ireland include:

Stripe
Mastercard
Credit Suisse
MetLife
Fidelity Investments
Davy
Bank of Ireland
Hedgeserv
First Derivatives

Do You Have the Skills for a Future-Proof Career in Ireland?

What jobs will be in demand in 2025?

We’re already getting a sneak peak into the industries that will dominate our work five years from now. And there’s great news. Many of these new jobs are multi-disciplinary: they demand up-to-date skills in technology, project management, and sustainability. But they don’t require you to reinvent your career. They only want you to rethink it and help build something better.

Top Careers in Ireland