Job opportunities in Cork are set to grow by 20% in 2023, according to a new forecast from recruitment agency, FRS. This year’s job growth follows a 15% rise in Cork in 2022.
Cork had one of the highest jumps in recruitment over the last year, joining Dublin, Clare, Wicklow, Sligo and Roscommon as counties with double-digit job growth.
Roscommon had the largest year-on-year rise, with the number of jobs available more than doubling, increasing by 101%.
18 of the 26 counties in the Republic experienced an increase in openings in 2022, with the largest decreases coming in Kerry, down 10%, Leitrim, down 9%, and Louth which fell by 7%.
Nationally, the number of job postings handled by FRS rose by 32% in 2022, reaching a total of 107,802, up from 81,528 in 2021.
Despite the surge in opportunities available, the number of people applying for jobs was down last year, with FRS reporting a total of 123,305 job responses in 2022 as it became a “candidates’ market” in some sectors. This meant the average response rate per role was at 1.14, down from 1.66 in 2021.
On a sub-sector level, the largest increase in roles in 2022 was in Banking & Financial Services, which were up 106%.
This was followed by opportunities in IT – Software Development, up 67% and IT – Support Services, rising by 46%. Significant growth was also recorded in arts, entertainment and recreation, increasing by 43%, education & training, up 31%, and professional services & practices jumping up 25%.
Further growth is also forecasted in IT, construction and healthcare recruitment for the year ahead, with these sectors being described as “relatively inelastic”.
Speaking on the figures, Lynne McCormack, General Manager with FRS Recruitment said that while not all parts of the economy will rise in 2023, “We are confident that we will see further growth in recruitment opportunities in Cork for the year ahead.”
“With the economy reaching a 20-year low for unemployment and nearing full employment, this impacted the market. For some high-demand sectors, it became a candidate’s market.
“This, coupled with the rising cost of living, meant significant pressure on salaries in some high-demand sectors over 2022. With the economy likely to be less buoyant in the next year, we expect this pressure will diminish as candidates in Cork and nationally focus more on job security and work-life balance considerations.”
