Minister Emer Higgins Champions Skills4Retail programme: Empowering the Retail Sector with future-ready upskilling
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Skillnet Ireland's key EU projects and partnerships
Skillnet Ireland is a partner in pan-European Partnerships and consortia projects that focus on digitalisation and the green transition in alignment with the foundations of the EU Recovery plan.
EU Pact for Skills
Skillnet Ireland is a member of the EU Pact for Skills, a shared engagement model for skills development in Europe. Through the Pact for Skills, individual companies, regional or local partnerships, industrial ecosystems and cross-sectoral partnerships share commitments to advance lifelong learning in their respective region or sector. Members of the Pact for Skills include companies, workers, national, regional and local authorities, social partners, cross-industry and sectoral organisations, education and training providers, chambers of commerce and employment services all have a key role to play.
Through this partnership, Skillnet Ireland supports businesses to navigate the challenges and new horizons that the green and digital transitions present.
Skillnet Ireland is a partner in six EU projects, delivering on priority objectives under the European Commission’s Digital Europe Programme and the Erasmus Plus programme.
Digital Europe Programme
Skillnet Ireland will implement four EU projects along with European Universities and European industry partners to develop Masters programmes and short courses for SMEs in advanced digital skills. Through these projects, businesses can equip their people to learn about cybersecurity, data analytics, the Internet of Things, and artificial intelligence (AI).
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REBOOT Skills: The REBOOT Skills upskilling programme enables workers in the manufacturing sector to access advanced digital skills opportunities to keep pace with the latest developments in cybersecurity, robotics, Artificial Intelligence (AI and the Industrial Internet of Things (IoT). Click Here to Find Out More
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Project EAGLE: Project EAGLE contributes to establishing sustainable links between SMEs and higher education institutes and collaborates with enterprises to identify and then fill existing skills gaps. Click Here to Find Out More
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Digital4Business: Launched in March 2023, Digital4Business is an EU-funded project awarded under the DIGITAL Europe programme. It will accelerate digital transformation in Europe, helping businesses grow through innovation and the practical application of advanced digital skills. Click Here to Find Out More
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Digital4Security: The Digital4Security project is a four year project which will deliver an innovative and market-led European Masters programme in Cyber Security Management and Data Sovereignty. The project will equip European SMEs and companies across multiple sectors with the cybersecurity management, regulatory and technical skills needed to respond to existing and emerging cybersecurity threats. Click Here to Find Out More
Erasmus Plus Programme
Skillnet Ireland is part of two projects focusing on the design and delivery of a highly innovative and sustainable skills strategy and provisions for Europe in the hydrogen and retail sectors. Part of the work being undertaken includes the design and implementation of a Hydrogen Skills Strategy for Europe that will ensure the skills needs of the rapidly evolving hydrogen value chain can be met.
Skillnet Ireland is also a partner in designing a new Retail Skills Strategy and Vocational and Educational Training Programme that will address the urgent and emerging skills needs of retailers in the key areas of digitalisation, green transition and resilience.
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Green Skills for Hydrogen: Through Green Skills for Hydrogen, the European Hydrogen Skills Alliance is providing workers and industry with the new skills that are required to meet the challenging targets of the Green Transition. Click Here to Find Out More
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Skills4Retail: Skills4Retail is a four year project, accelerating the Triple Transition of Green, Digital, and Resilience within the retail sector. The project will deliver a European Retail Skills Strategy, design, and develop retail training programmes for urgent and emergent training needs, while also delivering the first sector specific European skills alliance for the retail sector. Skillnet Ireland is leading the transnational curricula and programme development efforts. Click Here to Find Out More
Overview of the European Social Fund
Implemented by Member States in partnership with the European Commission, the European Social Fund (ESF+), is one of the EU’s key instruments for investing in people. It is focused on improving employment and education opportunities as well as enhancing social inclusion, with a particular emphasis on lifelong learning, skills development and diversity.
In Ireland, the Department of Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science (DFHERIS) is the Managing Authority responsible for implementing ESF+, through the current Employment, Inclusion, Skills and Training (EIST) Programme, which runs until 2027. EIST is a joint investment by the Government of Ireland and the European Union.
The European Year of Skills
The EU Year of Skills launched across Europe and in Ireland in May 2023 and ran until May 2024. The European Commission's commitment to skills signals the importance of talent development across member states.
Skillnet Ireland provided upskilling and talent development services to 22,000 businesses during the EU Year of Skills which contributes to creating a steady pipeline of talent for future business needs. The focus of our EU Year of Skills flagship conference in 2024 was on lifelong learning, innovation, competitiveness, and the green and digital transitions. Learn more about this event and our range of Skillnet Business Networks activities below.
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