Diane Dignam

Senior Programme Manager

Skillnets Ltd

Training and upskilling: making the most out of the green economy

Background to Skillnets Ltd

• Formed in 1999 as an independent body under DETE mandate

• Industry Board (representatives from IBEC/ICTU/CI/CIF/SFA)

• Established to facilitate training and development in Irish enterprises

• Dedicated to the promotion and facilitation of learning as a critical element in sustaining national competitiveness

• Skillnets Mandate

to act as an enterprise-led support body dedicated to the promotion and facilitation of enterprise training, the support of innovation and development of workplace learning - a key element in sustaining national competitiveness.

The Skillnets Model & enterprise-led approach

• Our networks are led and managed by the enterprises themselves

• These enterprises provide direction on the training process

• Networks are self selecting and guided by a commonality of needs

• This approach creates solutions to training needs that are tailor-made, up to date and focussed on business results

• Business ethos - designed to meet business needs of member companies

The Skillnets Model cont’d

• Co-funded - enterprises invest in delivery of objectives

• Innovative - trying new concepts and ideas

• Wide range of potential partners and stakeholders including

3rd level institutions

• Large companies transferring knowledge to SMEs and vice versa

• Firmly grounded in the strength and synergies of networking

Training Networks Programme 2010-2011

• Changing global and domestic economic circumstances

• Renewed focus on the desired skills set for Ireland Inc

• Traditionally supporting people in employment

• New programme additionally supporting the needs of the unemployed

• New themes

• Broad cross section of sectors, regions & companies

• Particular focus on small/medium businesses

• Private sector firms

Training Networks Programme 2010-2011

Theme 1: Facilitating the transferability of individuals’ skills to increase mobility and employability across mixed sectoral /regional networks

Theme 2: Facilitating company diversification or transferability within a sector or from one sector to another

Theme 3: Facilitating increased performance and growth in priority sectors

Theme 4: Enhancing the general competency skills of the lifelong learner

Some 2009 statistics…

• Total network expenditure €22.2m of which €14.5m invested by Skillnets and €7.7m cash invested by member companies

 • 27,906 member companies

• 40,123 people trained

• Over 193,757 training days delivered

Skillnets Working with Enterprise

Over 6,000 companies surveyed in 2009. Comparison with 2008 figures

• 88% (increase of 3%) of companies stated that their training network delivered lower cost training than available alternatives

 

• 93% stated they would recommend becoming a member of a training network to other companies

 

• 62% (increase of 16%) of companies stated that their participation in their Skillnets training network had created new business partnerships, with 69% (increase of 8%) reporting key business contacts generated

 

• Companies stated that participation in their Skillnets training network had a positive impact on levels of customer satisfaction (83%) (increase of 5%) and employee morale (89%) (increase of 6%)

 

• 88% (increase of 11%) of companies stated that staff training had increased from their membership of a network with a further 86% (increase of 4%) stating that they could now avail of training that would not have been otherwise available

 

Skillnets Working with Enterprise

Of companies that participated in networking events organised by their network,

• 73% (increase of 5%) stated they were of benefit in generating ideas for development

• 80% (increase of 5%) found that these events were of benefit in sharing learning opportunities

• 77% kept up to date with market developments

• 78% (increase of 2%) learned best business practice approaches for their sector

 

 

• 86% (increase of 8%) of companies stated that the Skillnets Training Networks Programme (TNP) was more flexible being enterprise-led and 83% (increase of 1%) felt the training provided was better suited to their business needs

Skillnets working with the Green Economy Sector

• Sectors prioritised in government policy, specifically in the document Building Ireland’s Smart Economy (Department of the Taoiseach, 2008)

• Existing, emerging or potential export sectors

• Sectors which are large employers or have potential for employment growth

Skillnets working with the Green Economy Sector

Green Technology and Environmental Goods and Services (EGS)

• Eco-construction

• Low carbon emission transport

• Waste management/Recycling

• Renewable energy

Skillnets working with the Green Economy

Examples of networks who plan on running green courses in 2010

• Wind Skillnet• Renewable Energy Skillnet• Role Skillnet• Eco Construction Skillnet• CITA Skillnet• ICOS Skillnet

Examples of green courses in 2010

• BER Assessor refresher course• Best Environmental Practice in your Hospitality business • Construction Safety• Eco Home Design, Energy Efficient Passive House Design• Energy Insulation (specifying and installing) • Energy Mgt, Benchmarking, Energy Cert Standards• Environmental Good Practice On Site Training • Green Business, Lean Business• Green Project Management• Heat Recovery and Ventilation, Heat Distribution• Low Energy Domestic Refurbishment• Passive House Design• Reducing your costs, greening your licensed/food premises• Retrofitting: Low Carbon Housing Refurbishment• Small Scale Wind Generation Design• Waste Management

www.skillnets.com

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Email: info@skillnets.com

Tel: 01-2079630 (main office)

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Thank You!