Highly Skilled Workforce

Facts about the workforce in North Tipperary:
 

• A growing population of 70,219 and a skilled workforce of over 33,000
• An increasing participation rate in higher education
• A strategic central location supported by very good road and rail networks
• A high percentage (21%) of self employed workers
 

Labour activity in North Tipperary spans a wide range of employment sectors with multinational and indigenous industries contributing significantly to the development of a highly skilled and flexible workforce in the region.   Areas of industrial activity include engineering, green energy, mining and ore processing, glass processing, cosmetics manufacturing, dairy and beef processing, agriculture and tourism.

An increasing percentage of North Tipperary’s human resource pool possesses third level qualifications.  Four higher education institutions -  LIT Tipperary, St. Patrick’s College Thurles, Gurteen Agricultural College, and the Garda College, Templemore -  have all experienced growth in student and graduate numbers over the last five years. 
 

Improved road and rail infrastructures consolidate North Tipperary’s strategic and central location at the heart of Ireland.  This places the region within reach of large cohorts of graduates not only from the region’s higher education centres but also from educational institutions all over Ireland.
 

North Tipperary actively promotes entrepreneurship and currently counts 21% of its workforce as self-employed versus the national average of 14.4%.  The creation of new employment opportunities is pivotal to the economy of the region and entrepreneurs are supported by relevant agencies such as Shannon Development and Tipperary North County Enterprise Board.