Leading the Way

Paul Healy, Chief Executive of Skillnet Ireland talks to InBUSINESS about the disruption that businesses are facing and how innovative workforce development solutions can help address both business needs and those of our workforce.

Ireland draws an immense competitive strength from its talented and agile workforce. However, we are living through an era of unprecedented disruption and the competition is as relentless as it is fi erce, and it is global in its nature. As we look to the future, we need to build upon the strengths of our workforce, our key source of new ideas, of innovation, of productivity, and competitive advantage. This is the fundamental mission of Skillnet Ireland.

Skillnet Ireland is a business support agency working in partnership with 70 industry bodies, (including several Chambers), we work with over 16,000 businesses, and support over 55,000 workers throughout the country every year. The Skillnet Ireland model has been recognised internationally as a best practice approach by the OECD, the EU and the ILO. As a national agency working with the major enterprise groups in Ireland, we have the capacity to assess the full labour market landscape, to identify new areas of potential and to facilitate industry-led responses.

Advances in technology, market shifts, changing demographic and varied competitive forces are constantly driving new skilling requirements for industry. In order to meet those demands, we work to develop even more innovative new workforce development solutions. The technological disruption is also transforming the workplace and fundamentally changing how we work. We are also seeing the very nature of employment itself being redefined, with the rise of the gig economy, artificial intelligence, portfolio careers, virtual and remote working, and of course, extended working lives. Yet despite this disruption, the evidence base is telling us that the net outlook for jobs is positive, provided we are serious about taking the necessary steps to prepare.

Skillnet Ireland’s approach gives industry a leading role in shaping workforce development solutions for their own business and sectors or regions. We create value for our stakeholders across three strategic focus areas: workforce planning, workforce development and workforce innovation.

2019 was a milestone year for Skillnet Ireland as we celebrated Paul Healy, Chief Executive of Skillnet Ireland our 20th anniversary. In those twenty years we have built a strong foundation and connections with industry, Government and educational institutes. This has put us in an ideal position to respond quickly and effectively to the challenge’s businesses face across the economy.

As we look to the future, we all must build upon the strengths of our people and workforce. Working with our industry partners, Skillnet Ireland will continue to bring leadership to developing the skills needed to power Ireland’s economy and to facilitate the direct connection between national policy and enterprise-led action on the ground.