Bilingual Career Guidebook Promoting Irish in the Workplace Launched

Posted on: 29 May 2009

A bilingual guide highlighting the range of career opportunities available to Irish speakers was launched to an audience of third level career advisors and graduate employees at the Graduate Recruiters Conference on April 29th last.  The publication, Do Ghairm le Gaeilge / Your Career with Irish, is the result of an inter-university editorial committee which included Orlaith Tunney, careers advisor in TCD, and was financially supported by the Higher Education Authority and the Department of Community, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs.

Do Ghairm le Gaeilge / Your Career with Irish provides an overview of the various sectors in which fluency in Irish would be an advantage, and in some cases a distinct requirement.  A result of the Official Languages Act (2003) has seen greater opportunities available for Irish speakers in sectors such the media, arts and heritage, public and private sector employment as well as teaching and translation.  The bilingual guide provides students and graduates with well researched information, case studies, web resources and hints and tips for incorporating Irish into their career.

Irish became an official working language of the EU in 2005 and is one of the minority languages being promoted by the European Parliament.  More than 600 public sector bodies are covered by the Official Languages Act (2003), including third level educational institutions, local authorities and other semi-state bodies, all of whom are obliged to provide certain services through the medium of Irish.  An increase in the number of private sector organisations targeting the Irish language market has also been noted.  Companies such as Microsoft, Samsung and Accenture have also developed Irish language practices in order to gain a competitive advantage.

The publication of Do Ghairm le Gaeilge / Your Career with Irish is a direct response to the increasing importance of Irish in the workplace.  Launching the guide, Deputy Chief Executive of TG4 Pádhraic Ó Ciardha said: “The Irish language television production sector reflects the wide variety of jobs available for Irish speaking graduates – not only as presenters and scriptwriters, but also as project managers, translators, camera staff, editors and graphic designers”.

Cur chun cinn na Gaeilge san Ionad Oibre – Treoirleabhar Dátheangach Gairmeacha seolta

Ag Comhdháil Earcaitheoirí na gCéimithe ar an 29 Aibreán 2009, seoladh treoirleabhar dátheangach ina leagtar béim ar raon na ndeiseanna gairme atá ann do chainteoirí na Gaeilge. Ag freastal ar an ócáid bhí lucht féachana déanta suas de chomhairleoirí gairme tríú leibhéil agus d’fhostaithe céimithe. Tá an foilseachán Do Ghairm le Gaeilge / Your Career with Irish ina thoradh ar shaothar choiste eagarthóireachta idir-ollscoile (ina raibh Orlaith Tunney, comhairleoir gairme i gColáiste na Tríonóide, rannpháirteach). Chuir an Institiúid um Ardoideachas agus an Roinn Gnóthaí Pobail, Tuaithe agus Gaeltachta cabhair airgid ar fáil don togra.

Tugann an treoirleabhar Do Ghairm le Gaeilge / Your Career with Irish léargas ar na réimsí éagsúla ina mbíonn Gaeilge líofa mar bhuntáiste, nó fiú mar shainriachtanas do phoist áirithe. Mar thoradh ar Acht na dTeangacha Oifigiúla 2003, tá fás mór tagtha ar líon na ndeiseanna fostaíochta atá ar fáil do chainteoirí Gaeilge i réimsí éagsúla ar nós na meáin, na healaíona agus an oidhreacht, san earnáil phoiblí agus phríobháideach, sa teagasc agus san aistriúchán. Cuireann an treoirleabhar dátheangach eolas cuimsitheach taighdte ar fáil do mhic léinn agus do chéimithe; mar aon le cás-staidéir, le heolas ar acmhainní gréasáin, agus leideanna agus moltaí chun an Ghaeilge a nascadh lena ngairmeacha.

Bhain an Ghaeilge stádas amach mar theanga oibre oifigiúil an Aontais Eorpaigh i 2005 agus tá sí mar cheann de na teangacha mionlaigh atá á gcur chun cinn ag an bParlaimint Eorpach. Clúdaíonn Acht na dTeangacha Oifigiúla 2003 thart ar 600 comhlacht poiblí, ina n-áirítear institiúidí oideachais tríú-leibhéil, údaráis áitiúla agus comhlachtaí eile stát-urraithe. Tá dualgas orthu go léir seirbhísí áirithe a sholáthar trí mheán na Gaeilge. Tá méadú tugtha faoi ndeara i líon na gcomhlachtaí san earnáil phríobháideach atá ag díriú anois ar mhargadh lucht labhartha na Gaeilge. Tá cleachtais Ghaeilge forbartha ag comhlachtaí ar nós Microsoft, Samsung agus Accenture, ar mhaithe le buntáiste iomaíochta a bhaint amach dóibh féin.

Freagra is ea foilsiú Do Ghairm le Gaeilge / Your Career with Irish ar fhás thábhacht na Gaeilge san ionad oibre. Ag seoladh an treoirleabhair dó, dúirt Leas-Phríomhfheidhmeannach TG4 Pádhraic Ó Ciardha: “Feictear in earnáil léirithiúcháin teilifíse na Gaeilge an réimse leathan poist atá ann do chéimithe le Gaeilge- ní hamháin mar láithreoirí agus mar scríbhneoirí scripte ach mar bhainisteoirí tograí, mar aistritheoirí, mar bhaill foirne ceamara, mar eagarthóirí agus mar dhearthóirí grafaice”.