PwC to hire 500 new staff in 2016 as it prepares for growth 

The Irish arm of international professional services firm PwC has announced plans to hire 500 new staff in 2016

The PwC number is made up of 300 graduate positions and 200 posts for more senior staff who have full professional qualifications.

PwC managing partner Feargal O’Rourke told the Irish Independent that the company is firmly in growth mode and is likely to hire a similar number of staff again in 2017. PwC announced that as well as a national drive to fill the positions it has also launched a campaign to attract talented emigrants home.

The company is keen to hire in areas including data analytics, cyber security and technology, in addition to its more traditional areas such as risk management and accountancy.

The jobs are to be proportionally spread throughout the company’s seven locations in the country, with the majority to be located in Dublin. PwC employs about 3.000 staff in Ireland and had a turnover of €329m in the year to the end of December 2014.

It took on 300 people in 2013, most of whom were graduates, and about 460 last year.

“Demand from clients is very high at the moment, the only constraint is people. If you arrived on my doorstep with 200 very experienced people tomorrow morning I would bite your hand off,” Mr O’Rourke said.

He said that the major constraint on hiring over the last number of years was a reluctance on the part of clients to spend due to cutbacks.

Mr O’Rourke said that as many companies are in a stronger financial position now, they’re able to spend on professional services.

When asked if he thought that Pwc would hire a similar number of people in 2017, he said: “I believe we will. There is a natural level of turnover with many of the hires because of graduate progression. There is still a demand for people who have studied business or law [and] if you look at some areas such as digital and cyber security, demand is far greater there than in the wider economy as a whole.”

He added: “We believe there is room to grow significantly over the next four years. If there are good people we will take them. The better the quality of the people you recruit, the better you will be able to survive a downturn.”

Meanwhile, Microsoft wants to hire a mix of graduates and established professionals, with all of the positions to be based in Dublin.

Source: Independent.ie – PwC to hire 500 new staff in 2016, Microsoft Ireland to take on over 100

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