Skillnets beats target with almost 50,000 training days provided in 2013

Skillnets, the Government-funded agency tasked with addressing businesses’ skills shortages, provided almost 50,000 training days to unemployed jobseekers and helped reskill thousands of company employees last year, according to a newly published independent evaluation.

The study published yesterday indicates that Skillnets exceeded the targets set for it by the Department of Education and Skills, through which it is funded, while remaining within budget.

Net expenditure was slightly more than €23m in 2013 — 74% of which was spent on the agency’s Training Networks Programme aimed at supporting a range of industries and particularly popular among SMEs.

The Training Networks Programme is one of four that it operates along with the Finuas network designed to support financial services firms, ManagementWorks, which provides training and mentoring support for SME managers; and the Jobseekers Support Programme for unemployed people.

Commenting on the performance and appeal of the range of supports provided under the programme, Skillnets chief executive Alan Nuzum said the specific focus of the scheme is behind the high take-up among SMEs who accounted for 93% of companies taking part last year.

“Our training is also attractive to SMEs because it is cost-effective and designed with the needs and demands of businesses in mind,” said Mr Nuzum. “Eighty-two per cent of the companies that participated in the Training Networks Programme training last year indicated that it had a high, or very high, impact on addressing skills gaps within their business, and 90% indicated that training was effective in meeting their overall expectations.”

While Skillnets’ core remit remains focused on the provision of training to individuals who are in employment, training for jobseekers now represents nearly 25% of the agency’s activity.

Training days were provided to more than 3,000 trainees, 4% ahead of target.

Areas of dissatisfaction identified by managers include difficulties in supporting jobseeker trainees and the administrative requirements imposed by Skillnets.