Presentation to the world class city partnership annual conference in Barcelona focusing on Dublin and talent attraction

1. Talent Attraction and Retention in Dublin
Jamie Cudden – Research, Dublin City Council – representing the Dublin Regional Authority.
Dr Brendan Williams – University College Dublin

2. Dublin Region
• The Dublin City Region is the Dublin City Council
administrative and political capital
of Ireland and home to an
estimated 1.26m people
accounting for almost 28% of
Ireland’s population
• Ireland’s population is 4.6 million
(2011)

3. Dublin’s Universities
– Dublin region is the leading education location in Ireland,
with 50 percent of all Irish university students and 63
percent of all PhD students.
– University College Dublin, Trinity College Dublin, Dublin City
University, Dublin Institute of Technology
– Over 60,000 students approx
– We have a system of free third level education
– Challenge: Irish Higher Education Authority (HEA) warned
of a funding crisis among third level colleges. In the next
decade there will be a 30 percent increase in student
numbers, however this is despite large scale cutbacks by the
government to the tertiary education sector.
– Decline in the international rankings of Irish Universities

4. Dublin Region
• Dublin accounts for 39% of national economic output (47%
for the GDA)
• European and international gateway for many multinational
firms (over 50% of FDI attracted to Ireland goes to Dublin)
• One of the youngest populations in the EU with an average
age of 36.1 in 2011
• Celtic Tiger Economy: 1990 – 2006 (top performing city in
Europe / 6th in world, 6-8% growth pa)
• Now experiencing a major economic downturn / correction
(-14% decline in GNP since 2008)
• Second worst metro performer – Brookings Metro Monitor
2011.

5. Ireland’s Economy
• As of the end of Q4
2011 both Gross
National Product (GNP)
and Gross Domestic
Product in Ireland had
fallen approximately
14% and 9.5%
respectively from peak
values (end of 2007).

6. Unemployment challenge
Unemployment
16 Dublin Employment
14.7% 650 626.8
14
13.1% 600
12
% Unemployment
550
Employment 000's
10 503.8
500
8 450
State
6 400
Dublin
4 350
300
2
250
0
200
• Unemployment in Dublin has increased from about 4% in 2006 to over
13% % in 2012
• Over 120,000 jobs lost in Dublin Alone.
• The construction sector has been particularly badly effected
• In 2006 the construction industry in Ireland represented 24% of national
GDP employing 1 in 7 people.

7. Rapid Population Growth in Ireland
• 1 million increase in population over 20 years.
• Rapid influx of international populations in particular from Eastern
Europe (over 17% of the city population are non-Irish nationals)
• Dublin is now very much a culturally diverse and cosmopolitan city.

8. The Irish Context
Changes in Irish Population (1926 - 2011)
500,000
400,000
300,000
200,000
100,000
0
-100,000
-200,000
-300,000
1926 - 1936 - 1946 - 1951 - 1956 - 1961 - 1966 - 1971 1979 1981 1986 - 1991 - 1996 - 2002 - 2006 -
1936 1946 1951 1956 1961 1966 1971 - 1979 - 1981 - 1986 1991 1996 2002 2006 2011
Natural increase (births minus deaths) since previous census
Change in population since previous census
Estimated net migration (inward less outward) since previous census
• 70 million people worldwide presently claim some level of Irish ancestry.
• 3.1 million Irish citizens (passport holders) currently live overseas

9. The Irish Context
• From 2000 onwards: inflow of citizens of the new European Union
accession countries
• Irish were returning home. Return migration of many talented and skilled
personnel with the benefit of upgraded skills obtained overseas in the 1990s
and 2000s.
Population Change Ireland 1987-2011
120
100
80
000s
60
Immigrants
40 Emigrants
20
0
1987
1988
1989
1990
1991
1992
1993
1994
1995
1996
1997
1998
1999
2000
2001
2002
2003
2004
2005
2006
2007
2008
2009
2010
2011
Year

10. Dublin – International Comparisons
• Dublin is a small city in the international scale and we
certainly outperformed in relation to our size.
• Mercer Quality of living (2011) places Dublin in the top
quartile (26th) ahead of cities such as San
Francisco, Helsinki, Boston, Madrid and Seattle.
• The capital of a small island – open economy that is outward
looking – exports are key
• 2nd most globalised country in the world
• A hub for US investment: Since 1990 there
has been more capital investment
(189 billion) into Ireland compared to the BRICS combined.

11. Foreign Direct Investment
• Dublin has one of the best track records for FDI in Europe.
• ‘Best to Invest’ European Metro in 2012
• 2012 continued success – due to improved cost
competitiveness
• A recent survey of Multinationals by the EIU – talent ranked
4th most important factor for locating in Ireland

12. Success in Foreign Direct Investment

13. Dublin/Ireland Attracting Talent
– The 2012 IMD World Competitiveness results showing Ireland ranks first for
availability of skilled labour
– The Economist Intelligence Unit ranked Dublin number one in having the
best “human capital” in the world.
– “75% of Google staff have relocated from overseas to work in Dublin” -
John Herlihy, VP of Online Sales and Operations, Google Ireland
– “Competition for Foreign Direct Investment is significantly increasing and
the availability of skilled labour is, amongst other things, one of the main
deciding factors when companies are choosing a location for their overseas
investments. The fact that Ireland continues to lead the way in availability
of skilled labour -adds significantly to our reputation as a host for FDI” –
Barry O'Leary, CEO, IDA Ireland
– Tony Wang from Twitter said that the availability of skilled staff and good
technology infrastructure were among the main considerations when
deciding on Twitter offices, but in Ireland the “friendliness” executives
encountered was an additional factor.

14. Twin Track Economy: Skills shortages
– Despite recession, business leaders and government agencies have
highlighted that in some high-tech sectors there is a shortage of
skills, with firms finding it increasingly difficulty to fill key positions
– Employers are having difficulties in finding suitably qualified and
experience people in the areas of
ICT, Engineering, Science, Finance, Health, and Sales. Skills in the
STEM disciplines (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics)
– ICT companies are sourcing approx 55% of their high-level ICT
skills supply needs through immigration. This is being done with
increased difficulty as these skills are in demand globally.
– Emerging skills demands include; cloud computing, service
design, database management, social networks and
media, development of e-commerce applications and internet
marketing.
– Big Data will require people with a deep expertise in statistics and
analytics. McKinsey Global Institute Big Data Report.

15. The global challenge
– Cities and Countries competing strongly for talent
– Ageing Demographics will increase this competition
– EU by 2020, 16 million more jobs will require high
qualifications, while the demand for low skills will drop by
12 million jobs
– McKinsey report predicts a potential 38-40 million global
shortage of college-educated workers by 2020
– Failure to supply relevant skills is undermining the EU’s
growth potential. EU digital agenda scoreboard . Surplus of
ICT jobs; big trend towards mobile services and technology
– information & communications technologies (ICT)
sector, which now accounts for 8 million jobs and 6% of EU
GDP.

16. Research sources
– Major research collaboration with UCD – ‘Dublin's
role in the national and global economy’
– Over 35 interviews with top stakeholders in the
Dublin Region
– ACRE project – 4 year pan European research
programme across 10 cities in the EU (east/west
split) – testing Richard Florida's theories through
interviews with transnational workers, companies
and citizens.
– Recruitment Agency surveys
(Manpower, HAYES)
– LinkedIn Analysis

17. Factors Attracting International Talent
– A survey of the city’s ‘creative class’ (2009) showed that individuals
who were not from the Dublin region were attracted to the region on
the basis of ‘hard’ factors, such as employment
availability, personal trajectories, cost of living and the transport
infrastructure.
– The survey found that ‘soft’ factors’ e.g. cultural and social
environment played only a limited role in attracting individuals to the
city in the first instance.
– ‘soft’ living conditions may be an important retainer of Dublin’s
creative knowledge workforce..
– Less than 5 percent of creative sector workers cited ‘soft’
consumption related factors as the main reason for living in Dublin.
There were secondary factor in terms of the location of both employees
and companies in the Dublin region.
– The critical mass of creative jobs in Dublin was an important ‘hard’
location factor in the migration of creative workers to Dublin.
– For example, migration of professionals from Southern and Eastern
Europe to the West is motivated by the desire for higher incomes, a
different quality of life and greater opportunities to develop an
international career.
– ACRE, Making Creative Knowledge Cities Work, 2010

18. Skills: Current Context Ireland
– 2012 Manpower Talent Shortage Survey ranked
Ireland as the global leader for the availability of
skills and the least difficult location in which to fill
talent.

19. Analysis
Dublin Class of 2005, LinkedIN
2500
2000
984
1500
818
1000 428
503
1212
500 868
714 796
0
DCU DIT TC UCD
In Ireland Out of Ireland

20. Key Initiatives: Positioning Ireland as a
World Class Research Centre
Increased Investment in R&D
Increased emphasis on STEM
Increased collaboration
with industry
-Promoting commercialisation
and start ups.

21. Developing a strong brand identity for
Dublin
“Dublin operates in an intensely competitive world where
increasingly it is cities (and not states) competing for
investment, talent, tourism, international students”
“It’s not the cost of city branding: it’s the cost of not doing city
branding.”
“A good brand and a good brand strategy will attract
investment, attract talent, promote our exports, promote
tourism (and) engage with the citizens”

22. Building on Dublin’s Brand
City of Science, 2012
Dublin – Unesco City of literature,
- 4 nobel laurets, Joyce, Shaw, Beckett, Heaney
-Popular tourist destination World design capital Bid
-3.7 million overseas tourists in 2010
- FDI success story
Top tourist destination was the Guinness
Storehouse with 1 million visits in 2011

23. Best things about Dublin
(as identified by people that live here)
• “Vibrant international city with a small town feel”
• “Dublin has a buzz that others city's don't have”
• “That it has the diversity and energy of a young and vibrant
21st century city”
• “Compact city where you can see a city, a fishing harbour
and the mountains all in one day”
• “It’s nice and compact so that where ever you go you’ll
always know someone nearby.”
• “Lots of interesting people means lots of interesting events
and venues, and because of it’s size you hear about them
and can get to them easily.”

24. Branding Dublin – Proposed Model
Destination Dublin
Marketing Alliance

25. Dublin City Council Initiatives
– Office of International Relations. Promoting and developing
international linkages. Attracting International Students.
– International students are increasingly sought after by cities for their
economic benefits and as they are now seen as a vital part of a strategy to
attract more talent. Dublin is a key location for international students
attracting almost 60% of the national total. It is estimated that these
students have contributed over E300 million to the economy
– Lord Mayors Welcome for international students and international
student of the year awards. Welcome Desk at Dublin Airport
– Economic Development Unit which coordinates a regional economic
action plan for Dublin and the branding strategy.
– Office of Integration, supports integration and inclusion across the city
– Overall Quality of living programmes – public realm
improvements, free city wifi, public bikes, student accommodation etc..

26. Selected Initiatives
Dublin City University Generation 21 An initiative which aims
to equip DCU graduates with the skills required to succeed in
the modern labour market. Enterprise focus.
UCD and TCD innovation Alliance
Springboard Education Initiative. In 2011 the government
introduced the Springboard Education training Initiative for
people unemployed and seeking employment – over 5,000
places.
Coderdojo. A non-for-profit coding club for young computer
enthusiasts, which was founded by a second level school
student in 2010. It aims to establish a strong group of new
young web developers and the medium term plan for the
project is establish a dojo in each county of Ireland, as well as
many countries abroad.

27. Selected Initiatives
– Recognition of skills from abroad.
The National Qualifications Authority recognises many foreign
qualifications. Ireland is part of the Bologna Process, and recognises the
qualifications of over 29 non-EEA countries, including the emerging
economies of Brazil, Russia, India and China.
– National Immigration policy and reforms. Reforms to the non-EEA
student immigration regime.
Recent reforms have recognised the monetary and other benefits that
arise from bringing overseas students to study in Ireland.
- Reforms to the green card system for skilled workers.
– Finance Bill 2012, Special Assignee Relief Programme.
Enables MNCs and Irish firms to attract highly-skilled, and on high
income individuals, to Ireland by providing an exemption from income
tax on 30% of the employees salary between E75,000 and E500,000.
This exemption is available for up to five years.

28. City Lab and Open Data
– Test bedding the future in Dublin
“To participate actively in making the Dublin region a leader in
innovation in the urban environment … through collaboration
between private, public and research partners with the city region
as a proving ground”
From the Vision statement for Dublinked, June 2011 (Open Data for Dublin)
– The ambition is for the city is to leverage its high tech cluster and
universities to use Dublin as a ‘test bed’ to create and design new
products and services. Through collaboration with
multinationals, SME’s, universities and the not for profit sectors the city
can position itself the city as the leading test bed for the development of
innovative services and solutions that tackle city challenges.
– A focus on sustainable development and potential of the green economy
e.g. the green way (a clean tech cluster) and the green IFSC.

29. – Through your family, friends and contacts, help us bring
jobs to Ireland, and earn a reward for you or your preferred
charity

30. Conclusion
– Dublin has a history of emigration of top talent. We use
this to our advantage – power of the Diaspora and influential
international links / returning Irish with international
experience
– Attraction of talent is extremely important for Dublin, as the
capital of a small open island economy.
– Tweaking of National Visa and immigration regimes are
essential in attracting migrants, as global competition for the
talent is already high, and will only increase.

31. Conclusion
– Despite the extremely difficult economic situation and a
stagnant domestic economy, the area of the Dublin economy
that is outward looking and export focused is performing
strongly and continues to expand both in exports and job
creation.
– The high-tech companies that locate here can find the necessary
skills relatively easy when compared to many competitor
countries.
– Despite this, skill shortages are present in some sectors – but
it’s a global problem,
– it is important that both Dublin and Ireland create the
necessary talent, or attract it, if they are to continue to be a
world leader in FDI attraction.

32. Conclusion
– Need to turnaround the economy. Three
quarters of the professional workforce in
Ireland would consider leaving in the next
three years if the economic situation does not
improve (Hayes 2012)
– Ultimately have to create the right type of
jobs – without these the future is bleak.
– Creating the right environment for start
ups, mobile investment and nurturing the
right skills.
– The need to collaborate across all sectors will
be essential. City alliances and
collaborations have to happen.
– Branding strategies will also form an
important aspect of attracting
talent, investment, tourism in a intensely
competitive global context ,

33. Conclusion
– Universities very much focused on attracting not retaining
– Talent and skills challenge was raised in every interview
– Need a rethink of how we teach from the bottom up.
– What is the role of the university but funding is a major problem
– Should they be producing graduates that are industry ready?
– Too many city wide initiatives to mention – However the Quality
of living piece and place making role is critical.
– Overall initiatives that benefit the residents of Dublin, such as the
promotion of culture and quality of life, will also serve to increase
the city’s attraction to talented migrants.
– Public realm improvements, family friendly living in city
centre, free wifi, public bikes schemes , transport
connectivity, education and schools, public safety, lower costs
etc….