Low numbers of qualified engineers in construction sector.

zom

Not further then 3 years ago I got serious advice to move to Abu Dhabi to somehow continue my engineering career due to complete lack of any construction development in Ireland. Instead, I stayed here, got some computer engineering qualifications and started new career in IT.

But then 2014 approached and everybody started to build like there never was 2009. And then they realised there is not much people left to actually take the job:

http://www.irishtimes.com/business/construction/engineers-urge-repatriation-tax-break-to-attract-irish-home-1.2535967

Well - again, until next credit crunch occurs...

Metric Tensor

It's the whole boom/bust cycle. It was the same with IT graduates a few years back.

I stayed and worked harder than ever to keep a pay cheque coming in. I have to say I'd feel hard done by if my mates who went abroad got a tax break in their return and I, who stayed here dutifully paying tax all through the bad times, got no similar break.

DOCARCH

Metric Tensor wrote: »

I have to say I'd feel hard done by if my mates who went abroad got a tax break in their return and I, who stayed here dutifully paying tax all through the bad times, got no similar break.

Good point!

godtabh

Metric Tensor wrote: »

It's the whole boom/bust cycle. It was the same with IT graduates a few years back.

I stayed and worked harder than ever to keep a pay cheque coming in. I have to say I'd feel hard done by if my mates who went abroad got a tax break in their return and I, who stayed here dutifully paying tax all through the bad times, got no similar break.

You could easily have done the same but you made a choice to stay.

sydthebeat

godtabh wrote: »

You could easily have done the same but you made a choice to stay.

thats not his point....

any "tax breaks" should be across the board, as a thanks for those who kept their shoulder to the wheel.

Squall Leonhart

I'm not an engineer, but I am in the design side of construction. I too would totally be against a tax incentive for bringing people home who were likely abroad earning good money while I stayed here, did a job bridge scheme, and ended up working a few years in a low paid design job just to be working.

I don't know if it's sour grapes or not, but I would feel aggrieved if I had to pay extra taxes over the person at the desk beside me who moved home from his tax-free job in UAE.

DOCARCH

There are/were also people simply not in a position to emigrate, even if they wanted to.

godtabh

sydthebeat wrote: »

thats not his point....

any "tax breaks" should be across the board, as a thanks for those who kept their shoulder to the wheel.

What tax breaks are available for returning engineers? Again if these are freely available to returning engineers any one could have left and come back. The choice still remains.

Metric Tensor

There isn't any available at the moment but the article suggests that they might be a way of enticing engineers home.

It would be fundamentally unfair, in my opinion, to tax me more heavily than someone else doing the exact same job simply because they lived abroad for a few years. Essentially taxing me for committing to the country!

From a practical point of view it would almost certainly encourage the vast majority of graduating engineers to move abroad immediately so that they could then come back and enjoy a lower tax rate. So counter productive in the long run.

sydthebeat

godtabh wrote: »

What tax breaks are available for returning engineers? Again if these are freely available to returning engineers any one could have left and come back. The choice still remains.

at least read the bloody article that we are discussing :rolleyes:

con1982

No need for tax breaks. Just pay engineers a fair wage based on experience and responsibility of the role.

Why can't someone organise a proper union or lobby group for construction engineers? It is not in the interest of the ACEI and Engineers Ireland to push for higher wages.

Angry bird

If they are actually needed, and I would need to see some evidence of this then I would say to offer a sweetner of some description over a say two year period which would enice some. I would prefer for many reasons to get Irish migrants back who have the necessary skills than more foreigners who may have issues integrating. But as I said if there's actually evidence of a shortage.

zom

There are evidence we need more engineers now, but nobody is sure for how long. We got a lesson already how changeable economy may be, basing on foreign markets and financial games. And how it affect us here.

con1982

zom wrote: »

There are evidence we need more engineers now, but nobody is sure for how long. We got a lesson already how changeable economy may be, basing on foreign markets and financial games. And how it affect us here.

I dont have any industry data to hand, but i know a number of consultancies and contractors looking for experienced staff. They haven't been able to find anyone suitable. I have also had a few contractors turn down work because they are too busy.