Career Change in Ireland: What the Data Really Says

Thinking About a Career Change? You're Not Alone

Forus Training's Managing Director, Lisa O'Connell, joined Jonathan Healy on Newstalk Breakfast this week to talk about one of the biggest conversations happening in Irish workplaces right now: career change.

The timing wasn't a coincidence. New research from Indeed Career Scout found that 76% of Irish workers can imagine changing their career field, but many don't know how, or where, to start. It's a striking number, but it's one we already had strong evidence for. Our own "Second Acts: Attitudes to Retraining and Career Reinvention" research, carried out with Opinions Market Research earlier this year, surveyed 888 Irish adults aged 25+ and found much the same appetite for change. The research also presented a lot of useful detail on what's actually holding people back, and what helps.

People aren't just dreaming about it, many are already doing it

A quarter of Irish adults (25%) have already changed career direction at some point, and it's just as common under 35 as it is in your late 30s and 40s. One in five adults are planning to retrain or upskill in the next three years. Career change isn't a rare leap anymore, it's becoming a normal part of working life.

The biggest barrier is feeling "too old"

When we asked what stops people from retraining, the single biggest factor wasn't cost or time. It was simply feeling too old for it (32%), followed by cost (28%) and lack of time around work (23%). Confidence came in lower, at 12%.

Interestingly, that "too old" feeling is heavily weighted by age itself: it's just 18% among under-50s but jumps to 46% among people over 50.

You don't need savings, you need a plan that fits around work

If financial uncertainty is holding you back, our data suggests balance is the better strategy, not delay. Only 11% of adults are planning a full career change; a much bigger group, 21%, are planning to upskill while staying in their current job. Another 14% specifically intend to train part-time or in the evenings over the next three years. The realistic path for most people is training alongside work, not stepping away from income first.

Experience counts more than you think

One of the most encouraging findings: 70% of Irish adults believe hands-on experience is worth more than qualifications, and 65% rate vocational training as invaluable to a successful career. The old idea that a career-changer looks less credible than someone who's stayed in one lane is fading. What increasingly matters is a recognised qualification plus demonstrable, practical skill, exactly what a QQI-accredited course is built to deliver.

Where to start

You don't need the whole plan figured out before you take a first step. A short, practical course in an area you're curious about is often the best way in, whether that's a taster like Manual Handling or First Aid Response, or a fuller vocational pathway into a sector that's actively hiring, like healthcare, childcare, or special needs assistance.

At Forus Training, our QQI-accredited courses are designed to fit around real working lives: flexible enough to study alongside a job, practical enough that you come out job-ready. If three-quarters of the country can imagine a different career, the real question isn't whether to start. It's just picking the first step.

Curious which course might suit you? Get in touch with the Forus Training team; we're happy to talk it through.