Three companies announced more than 1,300 jobs across Ireland on Wednesday.
Canadian company Optel Vision said it plans to create 140 new jobs in Limerick as part of a major expansion plan. Separately car rental specialist Cartrawler announced plans to establish 400 roles in Dublin, while PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC) released details of two major investment projects in Northern Ireland that will create 807 new jobs.
Car Trawler said hiring had already commenced for 200 roles across a range of functions including senior roles in Business Development, Customer Operations, Data Science, Finance and Engineering.
The new roles were announced at the opening of the firm’s new international customer centre of excellence in Dundrum.
Established in 2004, the company produces car-hire software for airlines and travel agencies.
“We have firmly established our position as one of the travel-tech industry’s top employers. We continue to invest in our technology and our team to ensure that we remain the driving force behind car rental worldwide. We are very pleased to be able to create these new roles in our country of origin which will help to showcase our home grown Irish business on the international stage,” said chief executive Mike McGearty.
Optel, which specialises in the development of so-called ‘Track&Trace’ vision inspection solutions for manufacturers, is to establish an EMEA manufacturing and operations centre at the former ON Semiconductor facility at Raheen Business Park.
The expansion, which is supported by IDA Ireland, represents Optel Vision's first operation and engineering service outside of North America as it moves to build up its presence in the European market.
The roles will be created over three years in engineering, design, assembly, testing, customer support, sales, HR, finance and administration activities. Initially the company is looking to hire project engineers and technicians with a mechatronics background to deliver its Track and Trace Solutions.
"Design and integration of our solutions require a lot of highly skilled persons. Ireland is offering us this unique opportunity in finding motivated and trained resources ready to support our European customers. With the urgency to ensure public safety against counterfeited products, our Ireland operation will position us to be the leading supplier in Europe delivering best quality solutions," said Optel's chief executive Louis Roy.
PwC, one of the largest financial and professional services firms in the North, currently employs more than 1,000 people and now intends to establish a new financial advisory service and create a dedicated team that will focus on international clients, it said on Thursday.
Details of the £40 million investment win for the North were jointly unveiled by Northern Ireland’s First and Deputy First Ministers at PwC’s Belfast headquarters overlooking the River Lagan.
Peter Robinson said: “The £40 million announcement by PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC) is a tremendous boost to the Northern Ireland economy and is another significant vote of confidence in Northern Ireland’s talent and attractive business environment.
According to Martin McGuinness PwC’s latest investment also has the potential to “deliver annual salaries of over £16 million to the local economy”.
PwC has said that 303 of the new jobs will be aimed at qualified accountants and graduates who have chartered accountant status while the other 504 jobs will be specifically aimed at graduates over the next five years.
The average salary for the two projects will be in the region of £21,000.
Invest NI, the economic development agency, has offered PwC financial support towards the cost of both investment projects totalling £4.4 million.
PwC said it chose to reinvest in the North primarily because of two local factors: “the exceptional graduate population and great infrastructure”.
It plans to set up My Financepartner - a new financial advisory service that will generate 303 jobs while its second investment project - PwC Augment - will create 504 jobs - and will service the company’s global clients.
Around 70 per cent of PwC Northern Ireland revenues come from assignments delivered in export markets according to the company.
Paul Terrington, PwC regional chairman in Northern Ireland said the new projects reflected the “leadership and entrepreneurial endeavour” of its local team.
“The My Financepartner business model takes PwC into a new segment of the business advisory market with the potential to be replicated beyond the UK. PwC Augment is a direct response to international client demand for high-level, multi-skilled in-house support.
“Both developments are in line with our strategy of identifying and developing innovative revenue streams to generate growth and have been initiated from within Northern Ireland,” Mr Terrington added.
