Life Science & IT Sectors Set for Hiring Boom in Q1 2025
Healthcare & Life Sciences sector hiring confidence soars with a Net Employment Outlook of +46%
The pandemic is in the rear-view mirror, but the pharma industry indicates plans for a hiring boom going into 2025
Information Technology sector reports plans for another strong quarter, with a Net Employment Outlook of +49%
Ireland’s Healthcare & Life Sciences sector anticipates a boom in hiring appetite going into the New Year, following a period of restructuring to adapt to a post-pandemic healthcare landscape. According to the latest ManpowerGroup Employment Outlook Survey, the sector’s Net Employment Outlook has increased to +46%, up from +23% last quarter. This is the highest hiring level reported since the pandemic.
We’re anticipating the start of a hiring boom across the pharma sector in 2025,” said Jonny Edgar, Managing Director, ManpowerGroup Ireland. “Ireland has become a global hub for pharmaceutical, biotechnology, and other life sciences manufacturing, which became a thriving industry throughout the pandemic. However, as consumer needs have changed, the sector took tough decisions to streamline manufacturing and re-evaluate product lines, resulting in plant closures and substantial changes to headcounts.
“These restructures, which shifted focus away from pandemic-era manufacturing needs, have put the sector in a position to grow in the New Year. Several major businesses, including many of our multinational pharma clients with manufacturing sites across Ireland, have announced plans to hire at scale. Production operators, project engineers, and development scientists have all seen an uptick in demand.” Edgar continued.
Across Ireland, the Information Technology sector reports the strongest hiring appetite of any industry, with a Net Employment Outlook of +49% going into Q1 2025. Meanwhile, the Financials & Real Estate sector has signalled a cooler hiring appetite at +9%, down from +20% last quarter, while the Energy & Utilities sector reports it will be downsizing marginally, with a Net Employment Outlook of -3%.
Big business confidence remains strong, with Large Enterprises – companies with more than 5,000 employees – reporting a Net Employment Outlook of +29%, maintaining the strong hiring appetite seen last quarter, well ahead of the cooler prospects reported across Q2 (+12%) and Q3 (+16%) respectively.
Regionally, Leinster leads the pack with a Net Employment Outlook of +36%, up 24 percentage points on last quarter, followed by Dublin (+25%), Connaught (+25%), and Munster (+23%), with Ulster [Cavan, Donegal, and Monahan] reporting -11%, indicating job losses overall.
