Construction jobs most in-demand roles this year

Michael Bolton

New research has shown construction jobs were among the most in-demand professions in 2024, as the sector faces a mounting skills shortage.

Figures from IrishJobs show Site managers were the most sought-after profession by employers in 2024, with demand growing 39 per cent year-on-year.

The five most in-demand professionals were dominated by the construction sector, with Site Engineers in third position and Project Managers fourth most popular.

Demand for Site Engineers increased by 15 per cent and 10 per cent for Project Managers.

Accountants hold the position of the second most sought-after role in the rankings.

Nurses, Accountants, and Financial Accountants are also among the most sought-after professionals by employers this year.

Sam Dooley, Country Director of The Stepstone Group Ireland with responsibility for IrishJobs, said: “Against a backdrop of near record low levels of unemployment, businesses in Ireland continue to navigate an exceptionally tight labour market that presents challenges in attracting and retaining high calibre talent.

"Published today, data on searches of the IrishJobs TalentBank this year, a database of 1.4 million CVs of job candidates across the island of Ireland, indicates sectors of the economy experiencing skills shortages due to this labour market dynamic.

"The significant growth in demand for professionals in construction and related sectors clearly reflects the size of the challenge facing these sectors in meeting their talent needs. As pressures grow to further ramp up construction activity to meet Ireland’s ambitious housing targets, the need for more skilled talent in the sector is only likely to accelerate.

"While talent shortages in the construction sector are not unexpected, our findings also reveal growing skills shortages in complementary sectors such as skilled trades and engineering.

"Given the importance of these professions in addressing Ireland’s future housing and infrastructure needs, more focus will be needed to address the skills needs of these sectors. Investment in skills and training programmes, alongside other strategies such as international hiring, can help to meet the growing needs of these sectors.”