Minister Murphy highlights EU job opportunities and demand for foreign language skills

 

Languages Fair RDS

Minister of State for European Affairs and Data Protection, Dara Murphy, TD, met with graduates and students at the “Languages” Careers Fair in the RDS, Dublin this afternoon to highlight the wide variety of job opportunities on offer in EU institutions and international organisations. The event was organised by Grad Ireland.

Speaking at the event, Minister Murphy said:

“Now is a good time to apply to the EU institutions and international organisations. The demand for talented graduates with fluent English and good communication and networking skills – the kind of graduates we have always produced – has never been stronger.”

“It’s in Ireland’s interests to ensure Irish graduates remain at the heart of the EU and international institutions. The EU Jobs Campaign, coordinated by the Department of the Taoiseach, and the Global Horizons Youth Initiative, coordinated by the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade, were both designed to encourage our graduates to avail of these opportunities.”

“The opportunities for those with foreign language skills are particularly strong. The ability to communicate and do business in a foreign language is a huge asset. We want to see Irish people succeed and thrive in all sectors of this now globalised world of employment. Whether in business, entrepreneurship, the EU institutions or international organisations; having a second language can open up doors to all sorts of varied careers at home and abroad. It also has the added benefit of connecting students to different cultures and peoples. By taking language modules or participating in exchange programmes such as the EU’s Erasmus Programme, students can add an international dimension to their study.’’

‘‘Recognising the importance of language skills to our young people’s development, the Government has tasked the Department of Education and Skills with developing a new foreign languages strategy for Ireland. The strategy, part of the Action Plan for Jobs, will shape and strengthen Ireland’s environment for language learning now and in the long-term.”

ENDS

Notes to Editors

  1. Dara Murphy, TD, is Minister of State with Special Responsibility for European Affairs and Data Protection at the Department of the Taoiseach, Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade, and Department of Justice and Equality.
  1. Minister Murphy is pictured with Joanne Grant, JCDecaux Ireland; Philippe Millous, Alliance Française Dublin; Gerry O’Sullivan, Higher Education Authority; and Sinéad D’Arcy, Jameson.
  1. Further information on the EU Jobs Campaign, coordinated by the Department of the Taoiseach is available at: http://www.eujobs.ie 
  1. Further information on the Global Horizons Youth Initiative, coordinated by the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade is available at: https://www.dfa.ie/about-us/global-horizons/