New figures released today by IrishJobs.ie show that jobs requiring data protection, data compliance and data privacy skills jumped 36% in 2017 compared to the previous year. The 2017 figure is a 60.5% increase on 2015.

This comes just months before the official GDPR deadline on 25 May. GDPR (General Data Protection Regulation) is a new regulation governing data storage and transfer. All EU businesses that process personal data, regardless of size or revenue, must abide by the new rules.

A recent survey by ISME found that 76% of Irish SMEs are ‘concerned’ about GDPR. Forty one percent have a staff member dedicated to data protection and GDPR compliance, while only 7% have completed their GDPR plan.

Commenting on this development, General Manager at IrishJobs.ie, Orla Moran said, "As more businesses and consumers use the internet, more data will be transferred, stored and analysed. Beyond GDPR, businesses are now seriously considering the long-term marketing opportunities, as well as the security and privacy responsibilities, associated with collecting and studying this data. We predict that more data analysis, privacy and compliance roles will become available in 2018 and the years ahead."

Source: www.businessworld.ie