THE Irish high technology manufacturing sector has undergone something of a renaissance of late. A whirlwind of foreign investment in the past year coupled with a flourishing of indigenous electronics and healthcare manufacturers is fostering a spirit of dynamism and confidence.
From hulking multi-nationals to new home-grown business, the industry is strongly placed to build on its success in the new millennium, creating fresh opportunities for those considering careers as production technicians.
At the forefront of the boom stand a cluster of global players. In the greater Dublin area, computer giants such as Hewlett Packard, IBM and Gateway have established important strategic hubs incorporating research and development, line assembly and technical support. In Leixlip, Co Kildare, computer processor manufacturer Intel expects to hire 400 extra employees for its new Pentium III processor, bringing its workforce to 4,400.
Outside the Dublin area, developments are equally exciting. Colour copier company Xerox will create over 1,500 jobs when its European assembly base in Dundalk, Co Louth, goes into production later this year. And, in Limerick, Dell announced an expansion plan which will increase its employees to more than 4,000. And, down south, the Cork Electronics Industry Association consists of 50 companies employing up to 8,000 people.
The Xerox Corporation is a global company involved in a wide range of document processing. It develops, manufacturers and markets a leading range of digital multi-function office equipment, printers, scanners, copiers, fax machines and document management software. The Dell Computer Corporation is the world's leading direct computer systems company, and the leader in the Irish PC market.
"We have witnessed a period of significant consolidation and expansion among multinationals with an established presence in Ireland," says IDA Ireland corporate affairs manager Peter Lillis. "The that fact they are committing millions to their Irish operations underlines the high regard in which our workforce is held abroad.
"Ireland is seen as a good place to do business. This has led to job opportunities for people interested in technical careers."
Irish technology-led manufacturers are continuing to perform strongly. The electronics sector in particular has demonstrated healthy capacity for expansion. The State development agency Enterprise Ireland predicts that domestic exports will grow from £267 million in 1998 to more than £1 billion by 2001.
The healthcare industry is also prospering. This year alone, Anglo-Norwegian company Nycomed which manufactures diagnostic imaging agents for X-ray machines, announced plans to hire an additional 130 workers at its production facility in Carrigtwohill, Co Cork, while Arklow, Co Wicklow, is to benefit from a £19 million investment by pharmaceutical producer Iropharm, creating 33 new jobs.
It's difficult to quantify the resurgence in terms of employment numbers - the sheer scale and variety of the high-tech manufacturing sector makes a straightforward headcount impossible. Conservative estimates suggest, however, that upwards of 4,000 qualified technicians are required annually to keep pace with demand.
The potential for further growth across both sectors appears open ended, leading Enterprise Ireland chief executive Dan Flinter to predicts further broadening in the range of skills required by production technicians in the immediate future.
The self-transformation of the sector - which has acquired much of the futuristic gloss latterly associated exclusively with software and Internet developers - has forced a re-appraisal of the role of technicians.
In the past manufacturing jobs were - or were perceived to be - exclusively labour intensive. The increasingly complex and specialist nature of high-tech production has exposed this generalisation as a quaint anachronism. This change has been reflected in the excellent pay and conditions qualified operatives can expect.
"The level of expansion has created a huge variety of jobs in the technician sector," says Lillis. "It's now a very challenging and interesting career which can lead to rapid advancement."
In 1997 the Minister for Education and Science, Micheal Martin, established a Task Force to examine ways of meeting industry need for technicians. This body oversaw the creation early last year of an innovative accelerated technology certificate course at 11 institutes of technology. The curriculum was set up in close consultation with key industry players. Some 300 students enrolled in the first 18-month course and an additional 550 were admitted this year. Demand for places is high, as evidenced by the high application rate - over 2,000 people sought entry to last January's programme.
Successful candidates underwent an aptitude test and were interviewed by participating companies which have agreed to sponsor students for a six-month industry placement bridging two study intensive semesters. A high level of students - around 50 per cent - fall into the "mature" or over 23-years-of-age category, evidence that many individuals are returning to education to learn new skills.
Qualified technicians are still highly sought after throughout industry, according to Forfas chief executive John Travers. "There is a pressing need for qualified graduates across a whole spectrum of industries," he says. "There have never been so many opportunities for individuals who wish to go places."
In 1997, the Government set up the Expert Group on Future Skills, headed by Chris Horn, head of software developer Iona Technologies, predicted an annual shortfall -being addressed by the Government - of 1,300 technicians and 900 professionals in the electronic, engineering and computer science spheres.
