Graduates from the Electronic and Computer Engineering programme (CAO code GY406) at NUI Galway are experiencing demand for their skills far beyond anything they could have ever imagined when they entered the course.

At a time when the country is experiencing some of the most significant financial turmoil, with hundreds of thousands out of work, this particular cohort of graduates from NUI Galway is experiencing a boom, with many of the students securing jobs long before they even finish their course of study.

According to programme director for Electronic and Computer Engineering at NUI Galway, Dr Martin Glavin: “The jobs are there, and they are there in very signficant numbers for our graduates. Recent surveys from the careers office at NUI Galway show full employment for graduates of the programme for the last number of years. In fact, the country is experiencing a shortage of graduates with skills in the areas of electronics, software development and computing.”

Dr Glavin added: “Our graduates are in demand across a very wide range of industry sectors ranging from ICT to financial services, so they are well protected from the natural ups and downs of any one sector. Furthermore, all the indications are that the demand will still be there for many years to come with most high tech companies seeing a very bright future in this country. Secondary school students filling out their CAO forms should give serious consideration to a career in the electronics and computing sector.”

Electronic and Computer Engineering is a course that integrates two separate engineering fields to meet the joint demands made by a wide range of industries in today's world. This programme combines coursework in different aspects of both fields over four years, with an emphasis on the design of computing systems. Electronics and computers, and their joint applications, are playing an ever increasing role in our lives, with everything from smartphones to space rockets using electronic hardware (circuits) and computer software integrated together.

Paul Killoran, a graduate of the Electronic and Computer Engineering programme, now running his own startup company, Ex Ordo commented: “We can’t find Irish graduates to fill highly paid Irish jobs. Some of the best Irish jobs cannot be filled by Irish engineers because we don’t have the talent pool here. Our latest hire came from Argentina and our future developers will probably come from abroad because I really can’t find any engineers in Ireland, and believe me, I’ve tried!”

Companies who design integrated electronics and computer systems require engineers who possess the software skills to complement traditional electronic hardware skills. The Electronic and Computer Engineering degree programme has been developed in response to these industry demands to develop students' hardware and software engineering skills in an integrated way and the analytical powers to apply them jointly.

Another graduate of the programme and recent winner of the Best Developer award at the 2011 Appys, Vinny Coyne adds: “The mobile app development business is booming and this is why I set up my own company, App Sandwich. However, I really struggle to find developers with the skills that we need as a company because there simply are not enough second level students entering programmes like the Electronic and Computer Engineering programme in NUI Galway. We need to start encouraging our best and brightest into these types of courses because this is where the jobs and growth potential will be in the years ahead.”

Graduates of Electronics and Computer Engineering (GY406) at NUI Galway are ideally placed to pursue their specialism in ICT, which has wide applicability both national and international, with many indigenous technology companies and the multinational sectors.

Applications through CAO should be submitted by Wednesday, 1 February, 2012.

ENDS