Digital skills are a critical component of modern life, as they enable individuals to leverage technology for various purposes, such as accessing and managing information, communicating, and creating digital content.  

Entry Level and Advanced Digital Skills 

According to UNESCO, digital skills can be broadly classified into two categories: entry-level and advanced. Entry-level digital skills refer to the basic functional abilities required for using digital devices and communication applications to create and share digital content.  

On the other hand, advanced digital skills encompass a range of competencies that enable individuals to excel in various professions within the digital sector, including artificial intelligence, big data analytics, user experience (UX) and user interface (UI) design, and many more. 

Digital skills: Challenges and opportunities. Source: Cedefop Europa

In the digital sector, possessing advanced digital skills is increasingly becoming essential for individuals to remain competitive in the job market and thrive in their careers. Companies usually struggle to attract candidates as they are scarce, so having one of these skills is highly valuable 

In the following blog post, we will be discussing 10 rapidly growing digital skills in Ireland. Our insights are based on LinkedIn Talent Insights, a tool that provides data-driven analytics and insights into talent trends and the global workforce. 

Top 10 Rapidly Growing Digital Skills in the Irish Job Market 

As the digital economy continues to grow and evolve, so does the demand for skilled professionals in various digital domains. With the help of LinkedIn Talent Insights data, we have uncovered the 10 fastest growing digital skills in the Irish job market, ordered by their percentage growth since last year. 

Digital skills: Challenges and opportunities. Source: Cedefop Europa

1. Data Visualisation

This digital skill has seen a remarkable growth of 35% since last year, making it one of the most in-demand skills in the Irish job market. According to IBM, data visualisation refers to the graphical representation of data using various visual aids such as charts, graphs, and infographics. Nowadays, it is not enough for users to access raw data, companies need to try presenting this data in a compelling and digestible way or risk alienating their customers. 

With an ever-increasing amount of data being generated every day, that is probably the reason professionals with strong data visualization skills are in high demand across various industries.

2. Deep Learning

With a growth rate of 30% since last year, Deep Learning has emerged as one of the fastest-growing digital skills in the Irish job market. Described by SAS Insights, it is a category of Machine Learning that trains algorithms to recognize patterns and make decisions in complex situations by processing large amounts of data.  

Everyday systems such as Siri or the recent breakthrough in the tech industry – ChatGPT utilize Deep Learning algorithms to provide personalised responses.  

ChatGPT-what is it and how does it work exactly? Source: Medium.com 

3. Cybersecurity

As described by Gartner, Cybersecurity involves implementing a combination of measures, including personnel, protocols, procedures, and technologies, to safeguard organizations, their essential systems, and confidential data from online assaults.  

Ever since last year, the growth rate of this digital skill has grown by 30%, and employees skilled in that area are in very high demand.  

4. UX Design

UX stands for “User Experience”. What that entails, is the ways that users interact with the digital product and factors that affect that interaction. Enhancing UX translates to optimizing the website for effective and easy navigation. A UX Designer's role is to know everything there is to know about their users and to maintain consistency in their experience throughout all phases of the project. UX Designers are currently in high demand in the job market, with a growth of 27% in the desirability of their skills since last year. 

5. Agile Project Management

Agile Project Management has gained popularity due to its proven track record of success, achieved through its systematic approach of meticulous planning, testing, and continuous feedback. Professionals who possess skills in agile project management are currently in high demand, with a growth rate of 19%. This is due to the widespread adoption of agile methodologies across various industries, as they offer a more flexible and adaptive approach to project management 

6. Programming Languages 

Programming languages are highly in demand with a growth rate of 24% in the Irish job market. Among the various programming languages, Python has the highest growth rate at 22%, followed by R at 18%. Java has a growth of 8%, while C++ of 7%.  

This high demand for programming languages has been consistent for two decades, while the world is undergoing a digitisation process that is only in its beginning phase. Developers will continue to enjoy a high level of demand for their skills in the years to come.  

Software developers, data scientists, and machine learning engineers in various industries are perpetually in demand mainly for this reason.  

7. Design Thinking

According to the Interaction Design Foundation, Design Thinking is “non-linear, iterative process that teams use to understand users, challenge assumptions, redefine problems and create innovative solutions to prototype and test”.  

In today's digital age, the practice of Design Thinking has become increasingly relevant and highly desired in the job market. In fact, its demand has grown by 24% due to its proven ability to foster innovation and create user-centred solutions that meet the needs of both customers and businesses. 

8. Search Engine Optimisation

SEO is a digital marketing technique that has become increasingly vital in today's online landscape. Its demand has grown by 16%, as businesses strive to improve their online visibility and reach their target audience.  

According to Ahrefs, SEO involves optimizing a website's content and structure to rank higher in search engine results pages (SERPs), thereby driving more organic traffic to the website. 

 With many online experiences starting with a search engine, mastering SEO is crucial for businesses looking to gain a competitive edge and maximize their online presence. 

9. Digital Marketing

Digital Marketing has experienced a notable rise of 13% in demand for its associated skills in the Irish job market since last year. It involves promoting products, services or brands through digital channels such as social media, email, search engines, and websites.  

With the increasing use of the internet and social media by businesses to connect with customers, professionals with strong digital marketing skills are highly sought after in various industries. 

Most desirable Digital Marketing Skills in 2020-2021. Source: Marketing charts 

10. Cloud Computing

Cloud computing has seen a rise of 6% in demand for its related skills in the job market compared to the previous year. This cutting-edge technology involves the delivery of computing services, including servers, databases, storage, software, and more, through the internet, providing on-demand access to shared resources and data. 

Declining demand for some digital skills 

it is important to note that some skills have seen a decline over the past couple of years. This decline has occurred across almost all sectors and at all job levels. According to a Working Nation´s report, technology skills has seen a decline from 69% in 2021 to 43% in 2022

Necessary proficiency in data science fell from 73% last year to 54% in 2022. This decline has occurred across almost all sectors and at all job levels, with skills in Analytics & Data falling the most (-6%), followed by Content Marketing (-4%) and social media (-2%). The skills that have experienced the biggest decline include Analytics & Data, which has fallen by 6%, followed by Content Marketing, which has fallen by 4%, and social media, which has fallen by 2%.  

It is crucial for job seekers to keep up with changing trends and continuously update their skills to remain competitive in the job market. 

Continuous learning to remain competitive 

Possessing advanced digital skills is crucial for individuals to remain competitive in the job market and thrive in their careers, particularly in the rapidly growing digital economy.

The Irish job market is currently experiencing a high demand for professionals with skills in various digital domains, including data visualization, deep learning, cybersecurity, UX design, agile project management, programming languages, design thinking, search engine optimization, digital marketing, and cloud computing.  

Staying up-to-date with the latest digital skills and technologies can provide individuals with a competitive advantage in their careers and open new opportunities for growth and success. 


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by Natalia Dercz