1,100 businesses in Louth and Meath upskilled with Skillnet last year

In 2024, over 3,700 people and 1,100 businesses in Louth and Meath participated in upskilling with a Skillnet Ireland Business Network.

Figures from the Skillnet Ireland Annual Report 2024 reveal the national agency for talent development delivered over 30,300 training days in Louth and Meath last year. 57% of those who undertook training were women and 43% were men, while those aged 30 to 39 availed of upskilling supports more than any other age group.

The vast majority (94%) of companies in Louth and Meath that upskilled their employees with Skillnet Ireland in 2024 were small and medium size enterprises. The greatest uptake came from the food & drink sector followed by health, services, agriculture, manufacturing, retail and financial services.

Companies based in Louth and Meath undertook upskilling programmes with more than 50 of the 70 Skillnet Business Networks based on the sector in which their company operates, or with one of the Networks in their region, which include Dundalk Chamber Skillnet, M1 Drogheda Chamber Skillnet, Learning Waves Skillnet and Positive2Work Skillnet.

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Skillnet Ireland Chief Executive, Mark Jordan, said: “As a knowledge-based economy nurturing our highly skilled workforce is central to our national competitiveness. Over 24,000 Irish businesses chose to invest in upskilling and develop their people through Skillnet Ireland in 2024, which indicates the appetite for upskilling within the corporate landscape.

"We are proud to support employers throughout Ireland to both invest in their teams and strengthen Ireland’s position as a leader in innovation and sustainable growth.”

More than 24,000 businesses participated in upskilling programmes for their employees through Skillnet Ireland last year, amounting to 90,136 workers across the Irish economy.

Through a cost sharing approach with employers, contributions from businesses represented €28 million, 37% of the total investment into upskilling for businesses, of €76million. This demonstrates a high level of confidence and buy-in from companies developing their teams in partnership with Skillnet Ireland, the organisation says.

As the national talent development agency, Skillnet Ireland says it is working to support businesses in Louth and Meath, to build competitiveness through skills and to meet both the challenges and opportunities that owning and running a business brings.

Commenting on the uptake of Skillnet Ireland supports from businesses in 2024, Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science, James Lawless TD, said: “As the national workforce development agency, Skillnet Ireland plays a key role in developing the talent that Irish businesses need through upskilling and reskilling.

"In 2024, it supported over 24,000 businesses, the vast majority of them SMEs, to address their skills needs in order to remain competitive. By supporting Irish businesses to upskill and reskill, Skillnet Ireland is helping to foster resilience and innovation, so that companies can adapt to and meet the challenges posed by the digital and green transitions.”