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LADIES AND GENTLEMEN of the Class of 2011…
If I could offer you only one tip for the future, it would be skills. The long term benefits of skills have been proved by social scientists, whereas the rest of my advice has no basis more reliable than my own meandering experience. I will dispense this advice now.
OK, enough with the Baz Lurhmann tribute. The CAO application deadline is around the corner and, with all the talk of unemployment and Ireland on the brink, you are probably very worried about picking a course that will help you land a rewarding career and avoid having to emigrate.
This may sound funny, but you are a lucky generation, probably the luckiest generation of school-leavers Ireland has ever had. If you take a step back and think about it for a minute, it should be pretty clear that you are much luckier than, say, the Classes of 2005, 2006 or 2007. They picked their college courses at the height of the boom, often without reference to the underlying skills it would give them, because there was a general feeling that there would be jobs for graduates out the other side, no matter what their degree. As one particular Fine Arts Graduate recently discovered, jobs are never guaranteed and they are graduating into one of the toughest labour markets Ireland has ever seen and with qualifications for sectors that are in serious contraction.
You are also luckier than your counterparts from the 1990s and early 2000s. I know what you’re thinking: all of these were able to get jobs easily when they finished their college courses, so how are we luckier than they are? Put it this way: when you get around to buying houses, ten to fifteen years from now, it will be at sustainable prices. The vast majority of people who finished school during the 1990s bought during the boom and are now in negative equity, many in €100,000 or more of negative equity. The bulk of them have mortgages, but there are plenty who don’t have jobs. If you gave them the chance to start all over again, there wouldn’t be too many who’d refuse.
And you are also luckier than your parents’ generation, the people who finished school in the 1970s and 1980s. Large chunks of every class at this time emigrated. Most people didn’t go to college. And whether they went to college or not, they simply didn’t have the range of opportunities that people have had since Ireland opened up, which happened around about the time Take That became big, Meatloaf topped the charts and you guys were born (OK, now I’m starting to feel old!).
To show just what a huge change this is in such a short space of time, the graph below shows the percentage of people in a particular age bracket that have no more than lower secondary education, across a few EU countries including Ireland. Take a look at Ireland, the green line. It goes from one of the highest rates of “No more than Junior Cert” in the 65-69 age group (that’s the generation that would have sat their Leaving Cert, if they got that far, in the early 1960s) down to the lowest rate in the 20-24 age group. One in ten young Irish people does not complete their Leaving Cert, a rate that is half the rate for our EU-15 peers. Not only that, our higher education figures are equally impressive. About one third of people under 30 in the EU have higher education qualifications. In Ireland, the proportion of people under 30 with higher education is closer to half, the highest in the EU.
Percentage of the population with no more than lower secondary education, by age cohort, 2010.
You guys are lucky because you are the first generation to see Ireland for what it is and pick your future accordingly: a small open economy completely dependent on its ability to sell its talent on international markets, but with plenty of opportunity for those with the right skills. Yes, there is lots of unemployment in Ireland. Yes, there is a lot of debt and until the time you guys graduate in 2016 there will be tough Budget after tough Budget.
But you – and only you and the classes behind you – can sidestep all that, because you’ve a clean slate. Ireland is attracting a record number of foreign companies at the moment, companies that are coming here and often can’t find all the skills they need in Ireland and so bring other workers here. People in Ireland are unemployed not because there is no demand for workers, but because there is demand for workers with skills a, b and c, while those unemployed have skills x, y and z. As mentioned at the start, it’s all about having the right skills.
I’m going to generalise hugely here and say there are two types of Leaving Cert student: there are those who are interested in how things work, numbers, maths and the sciences, and then there are those that are interested in ideas, words, languages and the humanities. The future in Ireland is bright for both. Below are two areas that are only starting their growth phase, globally and even more importantly in Ireland.
If you’re interested in numbers, the huge growth area in Ireland is in analytics. This essentially means statistics made exciting, but you don’t necessarily have to take a Degree in Statistics to be top of the queue for analytics jobs. Essentially you want a course that teaches you to be rigorous – to follow a chain of thought and logic to see not just the obvious consequence but the non-obvious ones too. This could be for example MSISS in Trinity, or it could be a Maths degree. It could be Computer Science or Economics (especially with some solid mathematical grounding) or even a strong Philosophy degree. And aside from analytics, computer programming, computer games design and the life sciences have been giving graduates solid jobs for years.
If you’re interested in words and ideas rather than numbers, the huge growth area in Ireland is linguistics and localisation. Google, for example, employ hundreds of people in Dublin who make sure their services are seamlessly multilingual. As the “value add” in IT goes from hardware and software on to the web and into real-time, Ireland is well placed: established IT giants such as IBM, Microsoft and Apple have large operations here, while with new giants such as Google, Facebook and LinkedIn having their European HQ here. Ireland is probably the hottest place for digital content outside of Silicon Valley.
It is hugely important though that you come well equipped: this means probably some mix of business skills and language skills, not necessarily in the same degree. On languages, you’ve got to be fluent for it to count, honestly. If you are the product of a Gaelscoil, you may have a slight advantage here: you’re already used to thinking in more than one language. Even if you haven’t particularly shone at any language so far, do not despair: four solid years of work, including for example spending summers abroad living the language, is more than enough to become fluent.
If you don’t take my word for it, this is word-for-word from the IDA Ireland’s end of year statementearlier this month: “IDA client companies are actively recruiting candidates who are technology competent with engineering, mathematics, science and international financial and multi-lingual skills.” There really is something for everyone.
The fundamental point is to work hard and take nothing for granted. Ultimately, no-one owes any of us a job. We all need to earn our way through our careers (which for you guys will probably last until the age of 80 but that’s a discussion for another day!). College years can be fun – probably the most fun you’ll have, as you’ve a full set of rights but not a full set of responsibilities – but for an education, not a holiday, it’s also hard work. To do well, it’s every bit as tough as the Leaving Cert.
As we started primary school, we all learnt about jobs for the first time and we mainly learnt about the ones we saw around us at that age: teacher, postman, shopkeeper, doctor, bus driver and so on. By secondary school, the idea of what a job can be widens to include things like journalist, lawyer, engineer, scientist or accountant. But even now, your idea of what people do is still probably dominated by a minority of the jobs out there.
As you stand on the threshold of third level education, remember that the vast majority of people don’t work in jobs we know about. In fact, most of your career will be probably spent in a career which doesn’t exist yet. So please, make sure you pick a course in college that will give you transferable skills and a lifelong career.
Class of 2011 – you and the classes following you are probably the luckiest Irish generation ever. Seize the day!
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Video conferencing. Problem solved. Savings immense.
Although government jets and helicopters have been misused previous to open off-licenses and supermarkets, our government does need at least one dedicated private jet. If another economic calamity were to occur it would be hard to influence an EU discussion over skype. We do live on an island.
More use of charters and scheduled flights for 99% of travel would make more sense economically. NetJets can have a jet ready in 10 hours to travel anywhere in the world.
@Charles ….like in the nirvana of quality broadband then, do you ?…’cos the rest of the country doesn’t.
I already carry scans, on a CD, from one HSE place to another on the Blood Bike, on a regular basis. Irish connectivity is not up to the task, period.
I don’t think the govt can be trusted not to misuse the plane. There’s been to meny instances where it’s been abused. As in the situation where someone who for example has defrauded the state out of monies is fined or jailed the same should naturally apply to the govt ministers, I’m sure that would focus they’re minds.the cost to the taxpayer is paramount when it comes to reining in fraud. Until there is equality across all sections of society as regards theft and not the standard as at present where it’s deemed ok to “borrow” a plane nothing will change. How many children have had to forgo the opportunity to get medical help for life threatening illnesses because the jet was being used for personal use. Its inexcusable.
I have personally seen this jet used to get sick children to the UK in a hurry a number of times. I would keep the smaller jet for this purpose alone.
As for the politicians, I’m sure Mr. O’Leary would only be too happy to offer them discounted travel, sure any of them that travel with commercial airlines currently still let us foot the bloody bill
Chopper is best for emergency UK runs. No need for govt jet. Population 5m and nation all but broke.
The air corp serve no real purpose in Ireland and are a huge expense to the taxpayer considering they don’t even carry out search and rescue or much else of benefit the tax payer, apart from the odd photograph or fly past.
Scrap the jet,disband the government flying club and build houses on the land at baldonnel.
Nama should have a few
at a discount!
Wild Rover!
Really! The Air Corps serve no purpose! You clearly haven’t a clue what you’re talking about. For the love of God, Google Irish Air Corps, take 5 mins on their FB page, have a look at military.ie, go and educate yourself before making pointless, ill informed comments!
Please???!!!
I hear the Minister for Transport has already released a statement saying he won’t be getting involved.
Typical. You become a Minister and have to make decisions yet are allowed to delegate that accountability to a civil servant.
Fly economy. Ryanair will love this
Are they not all on holidays these past 2 months ?
My be they could fly on malayasian airlines
No they are not on holiday. The Dail is in recess.
Great ad for ryanair
This aircraft is not only used for flying ministers around. It is often used as an air ambulance, for example.
Also, it is the only aircraft in the Air Corp fleet with inter-continental range. If a member of the Defence Forces were to require a medical evacuation from, say, Syria today then the State would be unable to provide it.
I can (to an extant) understand the “let Enda fly coach” argument but it is a reaction to a very incomplete story.
Insure them and let an air ambulance evacuate. It’s cheaper
Fluck em, if they are stuck in airports they are not meeting to discuss new ways to tax and squander.
Buy a decent air ambulance, the junkets can economy their arses
the gombeen on the news this morning was saying that “we have to sell the country” but we all laugh at every tin pot African dictator with his fleet of mercs and private jets. Governments of bankrupt countries don’t deserve these perks. They should have to slum it on Ryanair and maybe pick up a few stories of Irish emigrants they happen to sit beside, might be an eye opener
Sure they won’t be sitting beside any Irish emigrants. Didn’t you know that the Irish emigrating leave the country by hiding out in freight ships bound for the UK?
We are told we have no money ,we don’t need these aircraft .all Aerlingus transatlantic aircraft have wifi on board .Airport lounges have wifi so they can work away .use this service all the time work gets done .
Get the Healy Rea’s to fix it. They seem to be invoicing local government for everything else – they seem to own every other business in Kerry.
We have to make a decision on this and some questions need to be asked!
Does the country require Ministerial Air Transport?
If yes, how many aircraft? 1, 2 or more?
What is the most cost effective way of supplying this? Buy or Use a service like Netjets!
I’m inclined to think that we should have our own service as frequently these are required at short notice but we need to put money aside for maintenance and money aside for replacements.
Is your comment a joke?! I am rolling around in floods of tears from laughing at the utter stupidy that you just typed!!!!
*stupidity
Yes, knee jerk reactions are much better than trying to ask the right questions. Well done.
Yes we should never ask questions in the taking of decisions Nicola. And we should never consider the business case for any public spending. And we should never calculate anything. That said I think one of the reasons the last (ever, hopefully) FF led Government lost touch and allowed idiotic decisions about air transport in this country to be made was that the Drumcondra Dunce had not flown commercial in years. A walk through the hell that is Dublin airport might have helped him realise where the country was going.
You’re rolling around in floods of tears laughing?
What a jolly person you must be. Well done you.
@Nicola McClean ditto!
Well put Proinsias. We are an island nation entirely dependent on trade. We are one of the most open economies in the world. Our Ministers fly commercial a great deal of the time just like the rest of us. Unfortunately commercial aircraft do not always travel at the times and at the frequency needed for cabinet Ministers. However like anything else it is open to abuse. I do not think people realise just how much travel is involved for Ministers for business reasons. Most of this travel can be accommodated on commercial flights but there are always exceptions. Ireland should, in my view, have a least one aircraft under the stewardship of our air force which is capable of inter-continental travel but its use should be carefully monitored and it should be available for multiple purposes. I saw this article in the Irish Independent as well. Of course it was couched in terms designed to madden the masses i.e. last perk etc.. If properly used it is not a perk but a business necessity for an island nation doing business in an inter-connected world.
Get out and push? Hopefully at 30000 feet.
Tell them to get the boat!
Flying cargo would be fair too good for any Minister,TD, the Tainiste or the Taoiseach….
If you’re going to make a ridiculous comment try not to make yourself ridiculous too by making so many spelling mistakes.
Let’s not forget the jets are also used to transport sick children to UK for various treatments, etc.
Ah, I have your attention now, haven’t i?
All you have to do to change people’s minds is to mention sick children.
“Think of the children! What about the children?”
Yes,I 100% agree that we should think of the children and transplant paitents so what’s the soloution…
Get rid of the ministerial transport and let them travel with the mere minions that pay their wages .
Invest the money in fully equipped air ambulances .
You had me at “Let’s”.
You complete me.
Hospitals in the UK don’t have airstrips. This is the worst justification of a pointless perk I have ever read.
Do you know the cost difference in running a plane and a helicopter…
Right just to clear up a couple of things… Bertie did fly coach a number of times and I remember him being given out because he didn’t take the Government Jet back from South Africa once… I think there was a rumour at the time he didn’t like them especially the older one, which he thought unsafe.
Saying that we used to have just one Government Jet until about ten years back when we bought the new one, we just never got rid of the old one…(The question of needing two is valid)
As an Island country having a Government Jet is kind of important, we are kind of lucky having good diplomatic standing in the world and are respected arbitrators in world events… This helps us in trade and thus employment.
They can use Ryanair like the rest of us and put the money saved towards a good air ambulance and search and rescue helicopters.
They need to upgrade to a new G5! There’s no way our ministers should be slumming it in old G4….
Ryanair like the rest of us!
About time t h et got they’re wings clipped
Let them catch the bus.
Fly Ryanair ! No reason why ministers cannot take a commercial flights.
have your say