Skillnet Ireland – Playing Our Part with EU Pact for Skills

Launched by the European Commission on 10 November 2020, the EU Pact for Skills stands as a flagship initiative under the European Skills Agenda, targeting the enhancement of workforce skills across the EU. The vision behind the EU Pact for Skills is multifaceted, focusing on addressing immediate challenges while laying the groundwork for long-term competitiveness and resilience in the European workforce. 

The EU Pact for Skills not only addresses immediate needs but also sets a strategic direction for skill development in Europe, and developing a resilient, skilled workforce capable of navigating the challenges brought forth by digital and green transitions. It emphasises the importance of upskilling and reskilling the working-age population, leveraging existing EU cooperation initiatives, and promoting a culture of lifelong learning. 

Recognising Skillnet Ireland as Best Practice 

Last week the EU Commission published its report, titled Pact for Skills: Analysing of Upskilling and Reskilling Policy Initiatives and Identifying Best Practices. The objective of the report is to assess the best-practice upskilling initiatives for enterprise in all EU Member States, in the United States, UK, Canada, China, Singapore, Japan, South Korea, India and South Africa.  The report was conducted by PwC and commissioned by the European Innovation Council (EIC) which was established under the EU Horizon Europe programme which supports innovation across the EU. 

This report ranked Skillnet Ireland first out of 47 in benchmarking based on overall average key performance metrics, as well as topping the analysis for impact on businesses and impact/contribution to the economy including to the digital and climate agenda. The report also reinforces Ireland’s reputation for leading-edge workforce development policies and business supports. This success is made possible by the excellent work of our many industry partners across all regions and sectors in Ireland. 

Paul Healy, Skillnet Ireland Chief Executive, said: “We are pleased with this very positive outcome recognising Skillnet Ireland’s work and our contribution to workforce development policy in Ireland. I would like to acknowledge the commitment and ingenuity of our industry partner organisations across our 70 Skillnet Business Networks and national talent initiatives. We look forward to continuing working together to make sure that Ireland has a future-ready workforce to navigate the digital and green transitions and enabling companies to build a competitive edge in these rapidly evolving areas.” 

The EU Pact for Skills emphasises the importance of continuous learning throughout an individual’s life. It recognises that in a rapidly changing world, the acquisition of new skills and the updating of existing ones are essential for individuals to remain competitive and for businesses to stay relevant. This EU report aims to provide practical suggestions on advancing up- and reskilling-related policy development and implementation and provides insights into other upskilling and reskilling landscapes. 

A copy of this report is available here. 

Further information on the EU Pact for Skills is available here.