A new report by DCU and UCD’s Clarity research centre has good and bad news for young people thinking of working in the digital media sector in the Dublin region.
On the one hand it predicts major growth and job opportunities for skilled graduates in the sector. On the other, it warns that a lack of skills and graduates could result in Ireland becoming less attractive to invest in – and it could curb the development of our digital media industry.
The research was conducted by Clarity and the National Digital Research Centre, which is based in Dublin’s Digital Hub.
Music technology
DCU’s Professor Alan Smeaton, Deputy Director of Clarity, says: “Irish digital media companies are becoming a global force in particular niches.
“For example Dublin music technology company Muzu recently signed deals with EMI and the Beggars Group, the largest independent group of music labels in Europe.”
Other emerging areas in the digital media sector include mobile technologies, animation and digital video, film and television.
Among the report’s conclusions, it identified the following issues in the sector:
- A major skills shortage, both in terms of technical skills and also sales/marketing skills
- Intellectual Property issues and the bureaucracy involvedThe need for improved ways for small and medium enterprises (SMEs) to work with knowledge institutions such as research centres in the educational sector
- The need for new and “alternative” networks in Dublin and at European level
- A dedicated source of funding, specifically for collaboration, to help knowledge transfer into SMEs.
The report recommends that entrepreneurship modules should be developed in courses related to the digital media sector in third-level colleges.
It says organisations involved in retraining workers should look at creating a suite of training and education in the digital media and related technology areas to address the current skills gaps.
Learn more
Download the report, “The needs of the Business Community and Other Actors in the New Media Sector” (PDF, 9.6 MB)
