The Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment Micheál Martin has welcomed a FÁS/ESRI report forecasting continuing growth in employment over the next five years.
“The fact that employment growth is expected to be much stronger in the more highly skilled occupations shows that the Government’s policy of providing quality jobs for our people into the future is correct.”
“It is important now that we remain committed to implementing the National Skills Strategy together with the Strategy for Science, Innovation and Technology to provide the means to achieve this goal, with the emphasis on the need for increasing skill levels across the workforce.”
“These strategies set out the clear long term objectives of this Government as to what our education and training systems need to deliver if we are to develop competitive advantage in terms of world class skills, education and training. This will involve increasing the skill levels of those in work and ensuring those coming through our education system have the talents and skills to fill the jobs of the future.”
Minister Martin also noted that women continue to increase their share in the professional and management occupations and are forecast to form the majority in these occupations by 2012.