Businesses and individuals in Co Longford have been upskilling with Skillnet

In 2024, over 1,280 people and 450 businesses in Longford and Roscommon participated in upskilling with a Skillnet Ireland Business Network.

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Figures from the Skillnet Ireland Annual Report 2024 reveal the national agency for talent development delivered over 7,450 training days in Longford and Roscommon last year. 58% of those who undertook training were men and 42% were women, while those aged 30 to 39 availed of upskilling supports more than any other age group.

 

Commenting on the uptake of Skillnet Ireland supports from businesses in 2024, 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.”

 

The vast majority (96%) of companies in Longford and Roscommon that upskilled their employees with Skillnet Ireland in 2024 were small and medium size enterprises. The greatest uptake came from the agriculture sector followed by services, health, food & drink, pharmaceutical, business and retail. Companies based in Longford and Roscommon undertook upskilling programmes with more than 50 of the 70 Skillnet Business Networks based on the sector in which their company operates, or with one of the Networks in their region, which include Midland Border East Skillnet, National Organic Training Skillnet and Taste 4 Success Skillnet.

 

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.”

 

More than 24,000 businesses participated in upskilling programmes for their employees through Skillnet Ireland last year, amounting to 90,136 workers across the Irish economy. Through a cost sharing approach with employers, contributions from businesses represented €28 million, 37% of the total investment into upskilling for businesses, of €76million. This demonstrates a high level of confidence and buy-in from companies developing their teams in partnership with Skillnet Ireland.

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As the national talent development agency, Skillnet Ireland is working to support businesses in Longford and Roscommon, to build competitiveness through skills and to meet both the challenges and opportunities that owning and running a business brings.