Irish Dealers Seek Help as Sales Soar

With Irish new-car sales soaring, an acute shortage of skilled workers in the auto industry is seeing some dealers paying for prospective employees to be flown home for interviews from as far away as Australia.

The Irish Independent newspaper reports there is anecdotal evidence salaries have risen sharply and remuneration packages now include pension deals and flexi-time instead of the traditional salary-and-commission system.

Every additional 1,000 vehicles sold creates about 130 jobs and each sale has a ripple effect as most new-car sales have a vehicle traded in that requires preparation, servicing and sale.

Employment in the Irish auto industry is about 44,700, up 9,500 from the 2009 low point, but down 4,800 from the peak of 49,500 in 2007.

The Society of the Irish Motor Industry tells the newspaper its website lists hundreds of jobs waiting to be filled, with a significant increase in vacancies for sales executives, technicians and service advisers.

There is also “very strong demand” for apprentices. SIMI has a training and careers website actively seeking school leavers or more mature applicants.

Former SIMI public relations officer Suzanne Sheridan tells the Independent demand is such that people are returning from abroad to take up jobs in Ireland.

“There is a huge influx of people returning from abroad, particularly, Australia, Canada and the Middle East,” she is quoted as saying.

Her start-up company, Start Monday, conducts Skype interviews with prospects and then sets up a call with a prospective employer.

“Depending on the seniority of the candidate, the dealership may then choose to fly the candidate to Ireland for a face-to-face interview and cover the cost of the flight,” Sheridan says.

After several years of moribund performances, Irish new-car sales soared 29.8% in 2015 to 124,925 units and are projected to reach 150,000 units this year.

Sheridan says this means 3,500 to 4,000 new workers will be needed in the industry this year.

“The industry as a whole needs to recognize that to attract talented people, it needs to replicate the types of terms and conditions on offer to senior sales candidates in other sectors,” she says.