As the STEM sector grows, so does the need for diversity in hiring

6 May 2016

Although the first few months of 2016 proved to be somewhat of a dry spell when it came to jobs, April bucked the trend, with 1,380 STEM jobs announced over the month.

That was good news coming into May, and a positive start to the month. Much of April’s jobs development came from growth in the biotech sector – something that will be very much on display at NIBRT’s biopharma careers event next weekend (Saturday 14 May).

For those hoping to get jobs leads at the NIBRT event – and, indeed, any others currently on the job hunt – it may help to know what recruiters look for in CVs and résumés.

This week, we published a fantastic infographic that highlighted common mistakes seen by recruiters and the common pitfalls that candidates should avoid.

Of course, once you’ve secured a job in the STEM industry, there are a whole host of other challenges awaiting you – particularly if you’re a woman.

This week, we heard from Stemettes founder Anne-Marie Imafidon, who, in an interview for AOL’s Makers series, talked about feeling like a minority in the tech industry, and about the desperate need to stop framing tech and science as industries for men.

Imafidon is far from the only person raising that particular battle cry. Lauren C States, former IBM executive and speaker at Inspirefest 2016, spoke to us about her efforts to help young people become engaged in STEM.

This week also saw the launch of Project Include. The group, made up of Silicon Valley diversity advocates like Ellen Pao and Susan Wu, aims to identify the tools and processes to enable companies to build better teams and better companies.

Finally, we took a look inside Storm Technology’s Galway offices, getting not only a glimpse behind the scenes, but also some fresh insight into what the business technology consultancy looks for from employees and candidates.

As always, for more information on any of these stories, follow the links below.

1. 1,380 STEM jobs announced in April amid biotech growth

After a slow start last month, 1,380 STEM roles were announced across a dozen or so companies in April, with half of that total to be found outside of the capital.

2. NIBRT to host biopharma jobs event in Dublin on 14 May

The number of biopharma jobs is constantly on the rise, and now the National Institute for Bioprocessing Research and Training (NIBRT) is to host a careers event in Dublin on 14 May that will feature some of the country’s largest employers.

3. How to craft the perfect CV

You’ve found the perfect job for you. The dream. Great brief, great salary, great location… but how do you seal the deal? Your CV is key.

4. Head Stemette: ‘We could be missing out on the next Marie Curie’

If girls continue to be discouraged from STEM subjects then the world could be missing out on the next Marie Curie, the next Steve Shirley or the next Ada Lovelace, Stemettes founder Anne-Marie Imafidon has said.

5. Former IBM exec forges new career to support diversity in tech

What do you do after you have built a globe-spanning career in technology and blazed a trail for women in leadership? For former IBM executive and Inspirefest 2016 speaker Lauren C States, the next step is to help young people become engaged in STEM and support them as they develop their own careers.

6. Women tech leaders form Project Include to accelerate diversity

Some of Silicon Valley’s leading diversity advocates, including former Reddit interim CEO Ellen Pao and Kapor Capital partner Freada Kapor Klein, have formed Project Include to tackle the tech industry’s lack of diversity and ensure the momentum of change isn’t lost as tech budgets tighten.

7. Career opportunities and culture driving success at Storm Technology

We sit down with John Tallon – practice lead in enterprise and cloud solutions at Storm Technology – in the company’s Galway facility to talk about working at the consultancy firm and available job opportunities.

Looking for tech jobs in Ireland? Check out our Featured Employers section for information on companies hiring right now.

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Main image via Shutterstock

Kirsty Tobin
By Kirsty Tobin

Kirsty Tobin served as careers editor of Silicon Republic from 2015 up to August 2017. When she was younger, she had a dream where she started and won a fight with a T-Rex, so she’s pretty sure she kicked butt at this, too. Passions include eating all the cake, watching more TV than is healthy and sassy comebacks.

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