Skills seen as key to future

A MASSIVE increase in the number of highly skilled workers in the labour force is Ireland’s Inc’s main weapon in competing for jobs in the years ahead, the latest report of the Expert Group for Future Skills Needs says.

“An optimistic view is that labour shortages per se will no longer be as significant a concern as previously,” the report says.. “The new challenge will be to maintain competitiveness internationally by improving labour productivity in a cost-effective manner while minimising the impact on unemployment. Therefore, policy should focus primarily on increasing the proportion of highly skilled workers in the labour force.” The group also found that sectors as diverse as biotechnology, engineering and logistics are primed for significant growth from 2005 onwards;

It has identified six key policy recommendations:

the creation of a national qualifications framework for all jobs to boost skills;

increase the third-level uptake of science/technology courses;

non-third level entrants to receive training leading to a qualification;

more education/training for the disadvantaged in the context of life-long learning;

a planned system of immigration to meet future skill needs;

re-skill intervention for those who become unemployed.

Commenting on the Expert group’s report, Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment Tánaiste Mary Harney said skills were pivotal to Ireland’s future economic prosperity and would be fundamental to changing successfully to a knowledge economy. The group’s chairman, Daniel O’Hare, said that in the current climate there was a danger that Ireland could adopt an approach of reacting to short-term demand in the provision of skills.

Such a development would be short-sighted and ultimately detrimental to Ireland’s future prospects. Instead, Ireland must continue to identify the medium and long-term skills needed and ensure that they were available to industry.