New CAO figures show that students are opting to study for careers linked to construction. Architecture, engineering and business courses are popular for students entering college this autumn.
It is expected that applications for higher degree courses linked to the built environment will increase by 20 percent in the next month. Engineering and technology should be up 7 percent. Law and architecture applications should increase by 6 percent each.
Policy and industry groups will welcome the rise in applications for technology and construction courses. There are skills shortage in these sectors which may soon reach crisis levels. There is already a significant shortfall of information and computer technology professionals as well as qualified construction personnel.
Tom Parlon, director general of the Construction Industry Federation, says the construction sector is buoyant.
“We’re hiring at a rate of about 1, 000 jobs a month, ” said Parlon. “There has been a 50 per cent increase in the number of architectural roles available this year. ”
Arts are down but not out say CAO figures
Applications for arts and social sciences are down by 3 percent. However, arts is still the most popular degree programme. Arts is the first-choice for an honours degree for 16, 000 college applicants.
The number of college applications has also increased overall as well. However, the surge in applications is putting pressure on the third-level education sector. Furthermore, applications are projected to rise by up to a third over the next ten years. As a result, Ireland has the highest proportion of young people with third-level qualifications across the European Union.
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