5th Expert Workshop for the operationalisation of the ‘EU 2030 High-tech Skills Vision’

Paul Healy Chief Executive, Skillnet Ireland

March 12th 2019

About Skillnet Ireland

1

The Big Picture……..

Mega Trends

Economic Power

Structures/Geo Political

Global Value Networks

Technological Change/

Automation

Major Implications for SMEs & for Skills

Changing Consumption

Patterns

Demographics/Urbanisation/Environment

New Ways of Working

Priorities We Support

Competitiveness (SME productivity)

Skills Supply

Lifelong Learning/ Career Mobility

Sectoral Skills Development

Regional Skills Development

EnterpriseLed

• DecentralisedApproach

• Industry Sectors/ Clusters

Enterprise Groups Control……

• Requirements

• Programme Design

• Procurement

• Delivery/ Coordination

CostSharing

• Skillnet Ireland grants plus…

• Contributions from firms

• Creates ownership/ commitment

• Agile

• Efficient and effective

A Demand Side Model……

Skillnet Training

Networks

Women ReBoot

• Core to the success of the technology

sector in Ireland is the availability of talent

(specifically STEM skills).

• Important to encourage more women and

girls to see the career opportunities that

STEM presents.

• In collaboration with Skillnet Ireland, the Irish tech sector is making strides to (1) Tackle

skills supply challenges , and (2) To redress the gender imbalance in tech.

• The ‘Women ReBooT’ is aimed at the pool of female talent who have taken a break from

the tech sector.

• Initiative bridges the gap between talented, professional women and tech employers.

• Supported by 20 leading technology companies including: SAP, Microsoft, Mastercard,

Fidelity, Logitech, MongoDB, Openet, Liberty IT, Datalex, Ocuco, Xilinx, Accenture.

The Shingo Prize

• Manufacturing Process Value Add: A source of significant competitive advantage for

Ireland. (No 1 Ranking, Bloomberg Global Innovation Index)

• Shingo Prize: Premier global award for operational excellence. Awarded 10 times to

Irish based firms.

• Training and best practice visits led by Advanced Productivity Skillnet recognised

internationally as the enabler of the success of Irish firms in achieving the Shingo Prize.

Dermot O’Neill, Advanced Productivity Skillnet with four Irish Shingo Prize award

winners: DePuySynthes, Abbott Clonmel, Lake Region Medical and Covidien Athlone.

National MSc Artificial Intelligence

• Strong AI ecosystem in Ireland - AI is a

workforce policy priority area. Needed a

National MSc.

• MSc a collaboration by Skillnet Ireland,

technology employers and the Higher

Education system.

• Seed funding to develop the MSc from

Skillnet Ireland Future Skills

Programme. 38 tech firms participated

in development phase.

• Academic partners: University of Limerick and the Irish Centre for High End Computing.

• Targeting 500 participants over next 5 years.

• National MSc hoids the potential to transform Ireland’s position in AI .

Heather Humphrys, Minister for Business, Enterprise and Innovation launching National AI MSc.

Deep Indutsry RootsPartnering with the major Industry / Employee Bodies

68 Enterprise Led Training Networks

67 Enterprise

2018 Outputs

Recent Evaluations

Skillnet Ireland selected as an international best-practice case study to guide policymakers on

designing and implementing funding schemes for SME

training.

“The Skillnet decentralised model generates highly specialised knowledge on employment and training related issues, resulting in

better alignment between labour market needs and the supply of skills”

• 89% employers: Skiilnet had a positive impact on addressing skills gaps • 78% employers: Skillnet had a positive impact on enhanced service/product quality.• 76% employers: Skillnet a positive impact on the long-term performance of their business.• 73% employers: Skillnet a positive impact on increased staff engagement.• Every €1million of State funding via Skillnets attracts €1.16 million in investment from

employers.

“Financial Incentives for Steering Education and Training, Getting Skills Right””: OECD, Oct 2017, p. 90-91“Evaluation of Skillnets Training Networks Programme” Indecon International Economic Consultants, Sept 2017, p.9 “Upskilling SMEs” : International Labour Organization, Oct 2017, p. 3