In recent years a noticeable strain has been developing in the ecological sector. For a number of reasons there is a shortage in the ecologically skilled workforce for the current demand of the sector. There is also an anticipated increase in the need for professionally trained ecologists due to a growing awareness of the biodiversity crisis across sectors and implementation of new government policies across departments.

In this outline proposal, submitted to the Irish Government’s Department of Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science, CIEEM aims to highlight the current and future issues our sector will face due to this capacity shortage and make suggestions for capacity building that is needed in the sector. It is hoped that this will inform the Government of an urgent need for the research and development of a strategy to address this issue.