Tech workers pull in close to 50pc more than average wage

IvaBigWun · 12-11-2013 09:36PM #1

Looks like there's still plenty of money in IT and Cloud storage

Research from the Central Statistics Office tells us that workers in the information and communications sector earned an average of €52,035 last year – while those working in the accommodation and food services sector earned an average salary of just €16,319 or two-thirds less.

The average annual salary for 2012, across all sectors, was €36,079.

This means that pay packets in the construction industry, wholesale and retail trade sector, administrative and support services and arts and entertainment industries all fell below the national average.

Interestingly, wage statistics tell a different story when examined by their hourly rate.

On an hourly basis, workers in the education sector made the most last year – a whopping €35.47 per hour, on average. Salaries might be lower in teaching than in technology, but fewer working hours means teachers got more out for the amount of time they put in.

The lowest hourly earnings were again recorded in the accommodation and food service sector.

At an average of €12.48 an hour, this still came in far above the minimum hourly wage of €8.65.

In some countries, this is seen as a luxury. In Germany, despite the country's robust economic health, leading economic institutes issued stark warnings last week ahead of government talks on the introduction of a new minimum wage of €8.50.

They said the move could lead to significant job losses.

The issue has emerged as critical to the formation of a German government; the centre-left Social Democrats (SPD) have said they will refuse to form a government with Chancellor Angela Merkel's conservatives unless they agree to a nationwide minimum wage.

Unlike most EU countries, Germany has resisted a minimum wage, in part because it was seen as political interference in wage bargaining between unions and employers.

Instead it relies on collective wage deals by sector and region.

But reports of workers earning as little as €2 an hour have proliferated in recent years, particularly in eastern Germany.

http://www.independent.ie/irish-news/tech-workers-pull-in-close-to-50pc-more-than-average-wage-29745347.html

Cookie_Monster · 12-11-2013 09:38PM

hardly surprising in fairness. It's an industry that requires high level qualifications for the most part so the pay reflects this.

IvaBigWun · 12-11-2013 09:38PM

This graph shows the Accommodation and Food Service industries are the worst paying

http://cdn3.independent.ie/incoming/article29745207.ece/binary/BUSINESS-annual-earnings.png

Sonics2k · 12-11-2013 09:38PM

In before people start demanding teachers wages are cut.

Amirani · 12-11-2013 09:40PM

Not massively surprising, it's still an industry where demand for skilled labour exceeds supply.

keith16 · 12-11-2013 09:42PM

I like money.

Doug89 · 12-11-2013 09:47PM

The education rate surely only counts actual teaching hours - no prep or correcting.

afatbollix · 12-11-2013 09:50PM

Doug89 wrote: »

The education rate surely only counts actual teaching hours - no prep or correcting.

By the looks of it the writer was going for the shock factor. Kinda made me disregard her whole article.

pale blue dot cotton · 12-11-2013 10:08PM

I did a B.Sc 'tech degree'. Continuous assessment mainly group projects. If you've any sort of interest leave your job tomorrow. You'll have a degree in 3 years and if you're unemployed 6 months before applying, it won't cost you a thing.

Tell that to an American and watch their reaction.

BrokenArrows · 12-11-2013 10:12PM

I would think that the teachers hourly rate was calculated on their contracted hours. I have never met a teacher who worked anywhere near their contracted hours, always far more.

Donkey Oaty · 12-11-2013 10:13PM

BrokenArrows wrote: »

I would think that the teachers hourly rate was calculated on their contracted hours. I have never met a teacher who worked anywhere near their contracted hours, always far more.

Good holidays, though.

UCDVet · 12-11-2013 10:17PM

Hardly seems fair to compare industries that have different standards of education, experience, a knowledge.

Nothing wrong with any honest job, but realistically, I worked at McDonald's when I was 17 and could do any job in the place as good as most anyone else after a year.

You can't do that in IT. At least, I can't. And most people can't. It takes lots of training and education.

UCDVet · 12-11-2013 10:22PM

pale blue dot cotton wrote: »

I did a B.Sc 'tech degree'. Continuous assessment mainly group projects. If you've any sort of interest leave your job tomorrow. You'll have a degree in 3 years and if you're unemployed 6 months before applying, it won't cost you a thing.

Tell that to an American and watch their reaction.

They'd be shocked!
Until they saw your P60. Then they'd be shocked again, but for the opposite reason.

For a well-paid IT person, the US system would be more cost effective.
For a not-so-well paid person, the Irish system would be more cost effective.

Micky Dolenz · 12-11-2013 10:24PM

Has anyone said teachers should be flogged and paid with little packages of misery, yet?

Logo · 12-11-2013 10:32PM

Unlike the public sector tech workers aren't guaranteed a job for life. Tech workers pay is performance related.

BBJBIG · 12-11-2013 11:12PM

Teachers should be flogged and paid with little packages of misery.

Logo · 12-11-2013 11:19PM

How about teachers being paid on a performance-related basis like others in the private sector (and tax-free grinds to boost performance are not counted)

Amirani · 12-11-2013 11:27PM

Logo wrote: »

How about teachers being paid on a performance-related basis like others in the private sector (and tax-free grinds to boost performance are not counted)

How do you measure performance?

Grayson · 12-11-2013 11:28PM

I'm in It and earn far less than the average. I have multiple degrees (admittedly one's Philosophy)and am working on a masters. I work about 50 hours a week and spend another 30 in college/studying. **** you teachers. I really should have made different life choices. I could get 3 months holidays and complain about how I have to prepare for another year of teaching 2+2 instead of trying to keep up with an industry that does actually change on a weekly basis.

Grayson · 12-11-2013 11:28PM

NiallSparky wrote: »

How do you measure performance?

Illiteracy levels for a start.

Mr. CooL ICE · 12-11-2013 11:32PM

IvaBigWun wrote: »

This graph shows the Accommodation and Food Service industries are the worst paying

http://cdn3.independent.ie/incoming/article29745207.ece/binary/BUSINESS-annual-earnings.png

"Eduaction"

Heh

Mint Aero · 12-11-2013 11:32PM

IT sounds like a horrible grind of a career to me. I've no interest in it though.

Mardy Bum · 12-11-2013 11:34PM

Grayson wrote: »

I'm in It and earn far less than the average. I have multiple degrees (admittedly one's Philosophy)and am working on a masters. I work about 50 hours a week and spend another 30 in college/studying. **** you teachers. I really should have made different life choices. I could get 3 months holidays and complain about how I have to prepare for another year of teaching 2+2 instead of trying to keep up with an industry that does actually change on a weekly basis.

Embarrassing post.

Grayson · 12-11-2013 11:35PM

Mint Aero wrote: »

IT sounds like a horrible grind of a career to me. I've no interest in it though.

It's fcuking horrible.

hfallada · 12-11-2013 11:36PM

Am I the only one who shocked how the German have structured their welfare system, that people will go to work earning like €4 an hour? Unlike people in Ireland moaning over how €8.65 isnt enough incentive to work( I work retail and know people on full time struggle).

wexie · 12-11-2013 11:36PM

Mint Aero wrote: »

IT sounds like a horrible grind of a career to me. I've no interest in it though.

Can be, can also be great, really depends on what you do and who you're doing it for.

Really wish people would just stop saying 'IT' cause it's a very large industry, with many many different fields, specialisations and disciplines.

It's like saying 'finance', that could mean a Wallstreet trader, a Dublin mortgage broker or the guy who runs the currency exchange booth in Cape Town airport.

Grayson · 12-11-2013 11:38PM

Mardy Bum wrote: »

Embarrassing post.

Not really. In 12 months I'll have the masters and be gone. It'd be more embarrassing if I were to stay stuck in a job I hate, in a company I hate. The masters isn't in IT either but on the plus side the IT experience will do me well on the CV. I'm thinking of IT as the purgatory I have to endure to get somewhere better.

Mardy Bum · 12-11-2013 11:42PM

Grayson wrote: »

Not really. In 12 months I'll have the masters and be gone. It'd be more embarrassing if I were to stay stuck in a job I hate, in a company I hate. The masters isn't in IT either but on the plus side the IT experience will do me well on the CV. I'm thinking of IT as the purgatory I have to endure to get somewhere better.

I was talking about your ignorant attack on educators rather than your life choices.

brevity · 12-11-2013 11:43PM

It seems I'm being had because I've 3 years software development experience and I'm not making those figures...

danish pasterys · 12-11-2013 11:47PM

Cookie_Monster wrote: »

hardly surprising in fairness. It's an industry that requires high level qualifications for the most part so the pay reflects this.

Yeah like everyone goes on about IT IT, sounds like a job you just pick up like a trade but its not, arent all these IT jobs highly skilled ? Not everyone has the mind set to work in IT. The pay is high because not many can do it. If it were as easy as a trade to become a programmer after 4yrs there'd be alot more programmers thus employers being able to drop the wage, they need attractive salaries to attract the few high tech talented people out there.

Grayson · 12-11-2013 11:54PM

Mardy Bum wrote: »

I was talking about your ignorant attack on educators rather than your life choices.

Ahh.. Ignorant. I see we've reduced ourselves to making personal attacks rather than actually trying to counter my post. I take it you're a teacher?

Tech workers pull in close to 50pc more than average wage

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