Cost a barrier to interest in upskilling among Irish workforce, survey finds  

Although there has been a slight increase (3%) in employers paying for staff to upskill, 42% of respondents said their employer offered no option for professional development or learning to employees.

Over two million workers across Ireland are estimated to be interested in upskilling but financial concerns are acting as a barrier, according to a new report.

UCD Professional Academy’s upskilling report, which surveyed more than 1,000 adults, found 44% were considering taking a professional development course in the next 12 months, while a further 22% would be interested if the right course was available to them.

However, the associated costs of doing so remain a barrier, with 31% of respondents who had not previously engaged in upskilling saying they cannot afford to take a course.

This is an increase of 3% since 2022, with UCD Professional Academy saying the finding highlights the “growing affordability challenges posed by broader economic issues”.

Meanwhile, just under a quarter of respondents who had previously upskilled (24%) said a lack of Government funding may prevent them from taking further upskilling courses.

Although there has been a slight increase (3%) in employers paying for staff to upskill, 42% of respondents said their employer offered no option for professional development or learning to employees.

Upskilling courses are most commonly self-funded (38%), according to the report.

Time constraints were the most common barrier to upskilling after costs, with 20% identifying convenience as a reason for not pursuing an upskilling course, while a further 9% believe it would be too time-consuming.

While hybrid learning remains the preferred option (31%), there was a notable increase in past-course takers wanting in-person classes (19% in 2023 versus 12% in 2022), which the academy said potentially reflects post-covid-19 virtual fatigue.

UCD Professional Academy interim chief executive Siobhan McAleer said the upskilling of Ireland’s workforce was essential to ensuring Ireland could continue to thrive into the future.

“Despite uncertain economic times, we are very pleased to see the Irish workforce continues to demonstrate a strong interest in upskilling. Our third annual upskilling course highlights that individuals who take one upskilling course are much more likely to pursue further upskilling opportunities and continue their professional development journey,” she said.