Our Purpose
Skillnet Ireland is a business support agency of the Government of Ireland. The primary objective of Skillnet Ireland is to advance the competitiveness, productivity and innovation of businesses operating in Ireland through enterprise-led workforce development.
Skillnet Ireland supports businesses to become more competitive, by providing the right upskilling and reskilling solutions to their employees. We also encourage people to develop the skills they need to thrive personally, and in their chosen career.
Skillnet Ireland supports the development of national policy in relation to workforce development and designs upskilling solutions to meet future skills needs in ever-changing skills and talent landscape.
Skillnet Ireland was established 1999 and is funded from the National Training Fund through the Department of Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science. Skillnet Ireland has received international recognition as a best practice model from the EU, the OECD, and the ILO, amongst others.
Skillnet Ireland Building Competitiveness Through Skills Since 1999
Skillnet Ireland was formed by Government in 1999, with ten Business Networks, with the aim of building competitiveness through skills for business of all sizes, across multiple sectors and supporting the development of national workforce development policy to meet future skills needs. With the support of industry, government and other stakeholders, the vision for Skillnet Ireland grew and became more ambitious, and with it so did the number of Skillnet Business Networks and our other business supports. In 2024, Skillnet Ireland boasts 70 Business Networks and four national initiatives, with each one bringing with it unique training and development programmes bespoke to a sector or region, along with insights, industry intelligence and industry guidance.
Accessing our services
Private sector and commercial semi-state businesses can join a relevant Skillnet Business Network, or one of our national Initiatives, and avail of our services.
For Business:
Contact one or more of our 70 Skillnet Business Networks directly for a wide range of training solutions across many sectors and regions. Network Managers are experienced in helping businesses to identify the right upskilling or reskilling programmes to address the skills challenges you face.
To find contact details for your relevant Skillnet Business Network, click here.
To find more information about our national Initiatives, click here.
For Learners:
If you are employed within the private sector or commercial semi-state you can access Skillnet Ireland training through your company. Click here for further information.
We also help jobseekers develop new skills to increase their employability and employment progression opportunities through training programmes and work placement. Click here for further information on Skills Connect.
All businesses can access our services, except:
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Public sector organisations
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Charity or not-for-profit organisations
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Businesses based outside the Republic of Ireland
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