Press release

Multinationals says professional skills and expertise the single most important factor when choosing a professional service provider in Ireland

88% say professional qualifications are important in inspiring trust and confidence when recruiting staff in Ireland

A survey of 50 multinational companies, carried out by Behaviour & Attitudes found overwhelming support for Ireland’s professional qualifications and standards. Professional skills and expertise emerged as the single most important factor for multinational companies when choosing a professional service provider in Ireland.

88% of companies felt that professional qualifications are important in inspiring trust and confidence when recruiting staff in Ireland, while 94% felt professional qualifications give them confidence in terms of the standard of the individuals they are recruiting or hiring.  The survey* was undertaken on behalf of 11 leading professional bodies.

Áine Myler, Director General, Society of Chartered Surveyors in Ireland, said: “Trust and confidence are two of the most important and fundamental aspects of the work of professional bodies. The strong sentiment for and recognition of these attributes expressed by the multinationals is Saffament to the quality and rigour of Ireland’s professional qualifications and the investment we make in ensuring those standards. The commitment professionals make to lifelong learning and continuous development is a key metric for best practice standards, innovation and value for clients and employers. The survey findings are great news for the next generation when considering their career options”.

International best practice

80% of the senior executives in the multinationals surveyed equate professional qualifications/ membership of professional bodies with ‘international best practice’. Engineers Ireland Director General, Caroline Spillane said: “Ireland’s professional bodies invest significant resources in ensuring Irish professional qualifications are designed to world-class standards. We collaborate with Irish and international academia, international bodies, industry, and key stakeholders in Ireland and globally; it’s a very deliberate strategy”.

Ms. Spillane said: “Our international alliances give Irish professions access to research on best international practices from technology through to fintech and smart urban planning. 60% of multinationals feel it’s important that the professional service practitioners they use in Ireland have an internationally recognised qualification. Ireland’s ability to meet global standards is because of the long-standing investment by professional bodies in international peer reviews, world class courses and examinations”.

82% of multinationals said the availability of skilled people is an important factor when deciding whether to invest in Ireland

82% of multinational companies said the availability of skilled people is an important factor when deciding whether to invest in Ireland. Irish Tax Institute Communications Director, Olivia Buckley said: “Professional qualifications and standards are central to the future supply of talent in Ireland and the continued investment by multinationals in this country. Professional bodies and their members are a significant component of the skills supply in Ireland and a key educator and developer of its future economic lifeblood”.

She said: “The significant and ongoing investment in education by Ireland’s professional bodies fully reflects the priorities in the National Planning Framework, which focuses on a knowledge-based economy, education and technological innovation. The value of professional qualifications and international standards of Ireland’s professions come into even sharper focus in light of the OECD declaration that skills have become the global currency of the 21st century”.

*This survey was carried out by Behaviour & Attitudes from 26 April – 9 May 2018 with senior executives across 50 multinational companies. The research was commissioned by a large group of professional bodies. These include:

• Association of Consulting Engineers of Ireland
• Association of Optometrists Ireland
• CPA Ireland
• Engineers Ireland
• Institute of Directors (IoD) in Ireland
• Irish Dental Association
• Irish Pharmacy Union
• Irish Tax Institute
• Law Society of Ireland
• Royal Institute of the Architects of Ireland
• Society of Chartered Surveyors Ireland

A key objective of the research was to understand the link between multinational company choices and the availability of skilled people with professional skills was identified as a key objective of this research.