Specialist skill set will help Pfizer workers find jobs
Release date: Wednesday, 19 May 2010
Hundreds of the 785 Pfizer employees whose jobs now face the axe have a fighting chance of securing new employment within the pharmaceutical sector because of their specialist skills.
Around half of the Pfizer employees involved are graduates, some with prized specialisms in pharmaceutical and biological research and development (R&D). The remainder are highly skilled technical and manufacturing operatives, many of whom boast production skills that are sought after within Ireland's pharmaceutical sector.
But crucially, a significant portion of those who now face losing their jobs -- where wages vary from an estimated €50,000 to €110,000 -- may opt for voluntary redundancy as they are within 10 years of retirement. This could include up to 20pc of those whose jobs now face the axe.
RecruitIreland's Sinead Johnson said some of the Pfizer workers would have skills that are in great demand within an industry where recruitment is still reasonably strong, despite the economic downturn.
"The skills and experience of the people in Pfizer Ireland are a huge asset as they seek new companies in the life-science sector to take over the facilities," she told the Irish Independent.
Cork is the world's second greatest centre of pharmaceutical operations after Switzerland -- and there is a continuous demand for skilled staff.
"With the Government drive to promote and incentivise the R&D sector in the pharmaceutical, green-energy and IT industries, the specialist skills that Pfizer employees have are hugely transferable," added Ms Johnson.
Unlike other segments of the Irish economy where recruitment has been frozen for the past 18 months, the pharmaceutical-chemical industry is still recruiting skilled staff, with one in seven jobs offered now involving a pharmachem firm.
"Approximately 7pc of (Irish) jobs advertised at the moment are in the science/pharmaceutical sector," the RecruitIreland official added.
To read this article in full please visit the Irish Independent website.