Skillnet reports record year

Skillnet Ireland has reported an 18% increase in supports to Irish businesses across 2020 – and an investment of €51 million in upskilling programmes for companies across the economy.

In its 2020 annual report, it also revealed that 6,846 Galway-based employees and 1,590 Galway-based companies participated in upskilling programmes over those twelve months.

That aligned with the national trends, despite the challenging year for businesses and the workforce, which saw 81,895 people participate in upskilling programmes through Skillnet Ireland – a 17% increase on the previous year.

It also reported an increase in the number of companies engaging with the organisation in 2020, up 18% on the previous year, at 21,695. 94% of the companies Skillnet Ireland supported in 2020 are SMEs.

Skillnet Ireland delivered 9,110 different programmes spanning industry and professional certified courses, management development programmes, specialised upskilling, new industry and academia collaborations, and many innovation and research-based projects in 2020.

Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science Simon Harris welcomed the report – and the record figures.

“Talent is at the heart of our national competitiveness. It has been instrumental in helping businesses navigate a challenging year and will be especially important in preparing businesses for future challenges such as climate change and digital transformation,” he said.

For more, read this week’s Connacht Tribune.

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