Huge demand for upskilling as thousands of Carlow workers boost skills with Skillnet

More than 3,200 people and 880 businesses in Carlow and Kilkenny took part in upskilling programmes with Skillnet Ireland last year, new figures show.

The Skillnet Ireland Annual Report 2024 reveals that the national agency for talent development delivered over 20,100 training days locally. Half of the participants were men and half were women, while those aged 30 to 39 were the most likely to take up supports.

The vast majority of companies in Carlow and Kilkenny that availed of training (97%) were small and medium-sized enterprises. The greatest uptake came from the services sector, followed by agriculture, tourism and travel, health, technology, food and drink, and retail.

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Companies in the two counties engaged with more than 50 of the 70 Skillnet Business Networks nationwide, depending on their sector or location. These included Carlow Kilkenny Skillnet, Macra Agriculture Skillnet and the Cultural & Creative Industries Skillnet.

Commenting on the figures, Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science, James Lawless TD, said: "As the national workforce development agency, Skillnet Ireland plays a key role in developing the talent that Irish businesses need through upskilling and reskilling. In 2024, it supported over 24,000 businesses, the vast majority of them SMEs, to address their skills needs in order to remain competitive.

"By supporting Irish businesses to upskill and reskill, Skillnet Ireland is helping to foster resilience and innovation, so that companies can adapt to and meet the challenges posed by the digital and green transitions."

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Nationally, more than 24,000 businesses and 90,136 workers participated in Skillnet Ireland programmes in 2024. Contributions from employers amounted to €28 million, representing 37% of the total €76 million investment in upskilling.

Skillnet Ireland Chief Executive, Mark Jordan, said: "As a knowledge-based economy nurturing our highly skilled workforce is central to our national competitiveness. Over 24,000 Irish businesses chose to invest in upskilling and develop their people through Skillnet Ireland in 2024, which indicates the appetite for upskilling within the corporate landscape.

"We are proud to support employers throughout Ireland to both invest in their teams and strengthen Ireland's position as a leader in innovation and sustainable growth."

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