Delivering on EU Skills Priorities

Skillnet Ireland actively supports the implementation of EU skills policy by engaging in a range of workforce development initiatives through EU structural funds and Brussels-led consortia projects. 

Skillnet Ireland will help further support EU skills policy through the European Year of Skills. This year the European Commission chose Skills as the theme for its European year series. The EU Year of Skills was launched across Europe and in Ireland, by Minister Simon Harris, in May 2023 and will run to May 2024. This signals the importance of skills and talent development throughout member states and gives a fresh impetus to lifelong learning and upskilling.  This focus empowers people and companies across our economy to contribute to the green and digital transitions, which in turn supports innovation and competitiveness across Ireland and throughout the European Union.  

Skillnet Ireland is a partner in pan-European Partnerships and consortia projects that focus on digitalisation and the green transition in alignment with the foundations of the EU Recovery plan.   

EU Pact for Skills

Skillnet Ireland is a member of the EU Pact for Skills, a shared engagement model for skills development in Europe.  Through the Pact for Skills, individual companies, regional or local partnerships, industrial ecosystems and cross-sectoral partnerships, share commitments to advance life-long learning in their respective region or sector. Members of the Pact for Skills include companies, workers, national, regional and local authorities, social partners, cross-industry and sectoral organisations, education and training providers, chambers of commerce and employment services all have a key role to play. 

Through this partnership, Skillnet Ireland supports businesses to navigate the challenges and new horizons that the green and digital transitions present. 

Skillnet Ireland is a partner in six EU projects, delivering on priority objectives under the European Commission’s Digital Europe Programme and the Erasmus Plus programme.

Digital Europe Programme

Skillnet Ireland will implement four EU projects along with European Universities and European industry partners, to develop Masters programmes and short courses for SMEs in advanced digital skills. Through these projects, businesses can equip their people to learn about Cybersecurity, Data analytics, the Internet of Things and/or Artificial Intelligence.

The Digital4Security project is planned to commence in Autumn 2023 for four years and will focus on developing a European online Masters programme in Cybersecurity.  

The REBOOT Skills upskilling programme enables workers in the manufacturing sector to access advanced digital skills opportunities to keep pace with the latest developments in Cybersecurity, Robotics, Artificial Intelligence (AI) and the Industrial Internet of Things (IoT). The project brings together a novel mix of EU education providers and professional organisations to deliver a bespoke upskilling model of advanced digital skills-based training. 

Project EAGLE contributes to establishing sustainable links between SMEs and Higher Education Institutes and collaborates with enterprises to identify and then fill, existing skills gaps.

Skillnet Ireland is proud to be a partner in this new European online Masters programme, Digital4Business. Launched in March 2023, Digital4Business is a €19.92 million EU-funded project awarded under the DIGITAL Europe programme. It will accelerate digital transformation in Europe, helping businesses grow through innovation and the practical application of advanced digital skills. 

Erasmus Plus Programme

Skillnet Ireland is part of two projects focusing on the design and delivery of a highly innovative and sustainable skills strategy and provisions for Europe in the hydrogen and retail sectors. Part of the key work being undertaken includes the design and implementation of a Hydrogen Skills Strategy for Europe that will ensure the skills needs of the rapidly evolving Hydrogen Value Chain can be met. Skillnet Ireland is also a partner in designing a new Retail Skills Strategy and Vocational and Educational Training Programme that will address the urgent and emerging skills needs of retailers in the key areas of digital, green and resilience. 

Through Green Skills for Hydrogen, The European Hydrogen Skills Alliance is providing workers and industry with the new skills that are required to meet the challenging targets of the Green Transition. 

The Skills4Retail programme will commence in August 2023 for four years and will focus on supporting the Digital and Green transition within the Retail sector.