Collins McNicholas, an Irish recruitment firm, has seen a 6% growth in registered job vacancies in the first half of 2017 compared with the first half of 2016.

The number of candidates registered with Collins McNicholas is up by 24% in the same period. Collins McNicholas states that the growth in jobs shows a buoyant job market with candidates willing to switch jobs to take advantage of more promising opportunities.

“It has been a very positive start to 2017 for job creation and I expect this to continue in the second half of the year,” Niall Murray, Managing Director of Collins McNicholas, said. “Our clients are very positive about the prospects of job growth and we are seeing a very strong demand for experienced professionals in the medical device and biopharma sectors, particularly for niche engineering skills, and for software developers and finance professionals.”

Figures from the Central Statistics Office, showed that the Irish unemployment rate for June 2017 was 6.3%, down from 8.3% in June 2016. The government expects the unemployment rate to fall below 5% next year.

Collins McNicholas also pointed to announcements from Microsoft and Zendesk of 600 jobs and 500 jobs, respectively, as proof that demand is up for professionals, including those in tech.