Skillnet Business Networks win at IITD National Training Awards

Two Skillnet Business Networks – ICOS Skillet and Green Tech Skillnet - were successful at this year’s IITD National Training Awards, which recognise excellence, best practice and innovation in training and learning and development (L&D). The Awards are one of the leading L&D events celebrating cross-industry initiatives and programmes, with the winners announced on April 8th at the Killashee Hotel, Naas, Co. Kildare.  

ICOS Skillnet win the Pearse Walsh Award 2022

ICOS Skillnet, along with ICOS, Dairygold and Teagasc, won the Pearse Walsh Award 2022 for the ‘Practical Steps to more Sustainable Farming Systems’ sustainability programme. The Pearse Walsh Award celebrates and recognises the qualities that Pearse valued when working with clients – a sense of innovation, achievement, and fun, in delivering an engaging and practical learning solution. According to IITD, this programme excited the judges with its focus on reducing the carbon footprint by influencing the behaviour of individuals in the farming community. Highly collaborative in nature, the programme included ICOS Skillnet, ICOS, Teagasc, Dairygold, The Department of Agriculture, Food, and the Marine (DAFM), Bord Bia, and University College Cork (UCC). Commenting on the win, T.J. Flanagan, CEO of ICOS, said: “ICOS and ICOS Skillnet are delighted to have been awarded the prestigious Harvest sponsored Pearce Walsh Award at the IITD Awards National Training Awards 2022. It is a public acknowledgement of our innovative Signpost Farmer Sustainability Training Programme. We give special thanks to The Golden Jubilee Trust who supported the overall initiative.”  

Green Tech Skillnet wins Best Talent Development Initiative

The 2022 IITD awards also saw Green Tech Skillnet win the Best Talent Development Initiative in the face of strong competition including Zurich and AXA Insurance. According to IITD, Green Tech Skillnet put together a well-scoped and well-designed collaboration with strong industry input. The initiative saw Green Tech Skillnet deliver three bespoke Skills Connect programmes to address key talent gaps in the sector, including the 'Work and Wind', 'Wind Turbine Technician' and 'Near Zero Energy Building' programmes. Commenting on the award, Mark Ruane, Network Manager of Green Tech Skillnet, said: “Green Tech Skillnet are delighted to win the Best Talent Development Initiative for our Skills Connect training and internship courses. Our programmes are a bridge between jobseekers and renewable energy employers, providing the opportunity for people to start new, meaningful, careers and supplying essential talent for this rapidly growing industry.”  

Learning & Development Organisation of the Year

Citco won the Learning & Development Organisation of the Year award sponsored by Skillnet Ireland. The judges recognised the enterprise-wide role performed by L&D to support growth across the organisation’s various businesses, aligning all lines and locations around one common brand. According to IITD, Citco’s L&D team “developed a new vision to promote a culture of continuous learning that empowers our employees to achieve for today, grow for tomorrow and contribute to the organisation’s success.” Discussing the 2022 Awards, Sinéad Heneghan, CEO of IITD, said: “This year, there was a clear focus on initiatives that delivered on organisational and professional needs, integrating best practices with high standards of professionalism. The quality of systemic thinking and practice was very high this is essential when considering people development initiatives within the context of organisational change and development.” Congratulations to all the winners at this year’s awards.  

Learn more about the Skillnet Business Network winners

Green Tech Skillnet is a business network for companies of all sizes in the renewable energy and green technology sectors. ICOS Skillnet is a business network for companies in the co-operative and agri-business sectors.