Many of the reasons that first swayed Google to locate in Ireland remain true today, according to Dr Jessica McCarthy, director of engineering, Google Ireland. “Top of the list is talent and skill availability. Not just the availability of that talent but the supports that foster the continuous development of talent to be consistently world-class. Ireland does this well and has doubled down on it in recent years.
“Ireland’s open economy and ease of doing business is also a factor. There is open and mature engagement right across the economic ecosystems between Government, business, regulators, educational institutions and civil society. There is a can-do attitude in Ireland that focuses collectively on how to make things better for all.”
Ireland is also a digital front-runner, actively leading in Europe and beyond to ensure we harness technology for growth and for good, says McCarthy. “The Government’s National Digital Strategy sets out a long-term commitment to digital and regulatory leadership – and that kind of commitment really matters to businesses like Google.
“Finally, while a competitive tax environment is important for every business, it is the very sticky, deep competitive advantages that matter most – talent, skills, a strong and open business ecosystem, digital leadership, actively participating in the world as an open economy.”
Digital leadership
Access to talent, an open economy and Ireland’s digital leadership are all key factors in Google being able to grow in Ireland, says McCarthy. “There are some challenges in the ICT and engineering talent pipelines, but we recognise that all stakeholders across Government, industry and education are looking at working on solutions and initiatives to attract more people into the sector.
“The ongoing skills shortage for ICT and engineering roles in Ireland needs to be addressed, with recent business and skills surveys revealing how we’re dealing with demands specifically for software engineers and technical support staff.”
In addition to the wider skills gap with roles in these sectors, the gender gap persists with these roles and it’s becoming more evident how this can be traced back to secondary education level, with surveys revealing how girls in Ireland feel there’s a lack of choice for a future career in Stem-related roles. McCarthy says these are challenges which must be addressed at a societal level in Ireland, to bridge the skills gap and bring more diversity to Stem professional roles through clear pathways of development for girls at a pre-college age.
“We need to ensure that we are educating the workforce of the future to ensure they have the essential skills businesses will need.”
Navigating the gap
This is no individual route to navigating the gaps in each of these disciplines, says McCarthy, “in essence, the approach is the same. We need to ensure that we are providing the right education for those entering the workforce and those considering their future career. To do that, we need to ensure that we also equip the educators.
“For example, there is a greater need to ensure that computer science is offered as a Leaving Certificate subject. A report from the University of Galway earlier this year highlighted that in 2022 only 15.6 per cent of secondary schools offered computer science. The report also found that there is difficulty in finding teachers in maths, engineering and new stem subjects such as computer science.”
Over the past two decades, Ireland has established itself as a digital leader at the heart of Europe, McCarthy says. “In this time, Google has invested billions in Ireland over the past 20 years, including more than €1.5 billion over the past five years, and grown our EMEA HQ from a small sales office to a 9,000-strong hub of world-class talent, driving innovation.
“Our business has grown as Ireland’s technology leadership has evolved, working in partnership, across the country and within communities. We don’t expect that to change and look forward to the next decade of partnership.”