Interview with Paul Healy, CEO of Skillnet, Ireland

Interview with Paul Healy, CEO of Skillnet, Ireland

 

Prisma Reports (PR): What is Skillnet Ireland’s role in supporting companies and developing Ireland’s industrial potential?

Paul Healy (PH): Skillnet Ireland’s purpose is to ensure that companies based in Ireland are as innovative and competitive as they can be. We develop the talent and skills they need to grow, prosper and thrive. While Ireland may not be rich in natural resources, we are rich in human capital. Protecting and nurturing is a vital resource. We ensure that companies have the talent and human resources necessary to seize available opportunities – whether that be through digital transformation or new technologies, development of innovative products and services or opportunities in emerging markets. We help businesses equate the impact of these trends on the workforce and assess what the change means for jobs and skills. Crucial to this approach is our relationships with industry.

Skillnet Ireland operates as a public-private partnership at the intersection of government, enterprise and education. We know what the government wants to achieve in terms of the labor market and supporting businesses, what businesses themselves need and what the education and training system can deliver. What differentiates Skillnet Ireland is that output is led by the companies themselves. We enable companies to determine the skills they need and shape solutions to match these needs. We work with companies to develop and deliver programs on a cost-sharing basis. For every $100 employers contribute to the program, Skillnet Ireland matches it.

Ireland’s challenges in terms of skills are common global issues. We are living through a wave of digital transformation that is creating immense opportunities. It is redefining existing roles and creating new ones. We need to be sure we leave no one behind. We must invest in people to ensure they have the capacity to work effectively with new technologies and leverage these resources to innovate and grow.

In every economy, people are the source of new ideas, creativity and competitive advantage. While many businesses have significant assets and resources at their disposal to accelerate growth, by channeling those resources and investing in their workforce companies can build success for both their own benefit and for that of the wider economy and society. Skillnet Ireland puts people first.

 

PR: How has the pandemic affected Ireland’s workforce and what is needed to drive growth of failing sectors?

 PH: Businesses most affected by the pandemic were customer-facing businesses, such as hospitality, healthcare, leisure and fitness. They were affected due to necessary restrictions the government had to implement because of the pandemic. These businesses suffered, with some having to close, and some letting workers go. On the other hand, other sectors continued to grow throughout the crisis, with some seeing no or limited effects. Our focus is to ensure our service sector gets back on its feet as quickly as possible. The government has brought in a wide range of supports to enable businesses to reopen and welcome back staff. We are seeing this as an opportunity to readdress and better understand the needs of low-skilled workers within the service sector. We are considering how to offer these workers new opportunities within the sector and other high-growth sectors, such as technology and sustainability, through conversion programs. We are geared to addressing the serious impact that COVID-19 has had on the business community.

 

What impact have new digital technologies had on the face of Ireland’s industry and what opportunities are emerging as a result?

PH: We are living through an era of significant technological disruption and digital transformation. Emerging technologies such as artificial intelligence, robotics and blockchain are supported by advances in connectivity such as the roll out of 5G. We need to ask if the type of disruption we are seeing today is different from waves of technology that came before, such as farming, steam, mass production, the silicon chip and the internet. There is growing evidence that the answer is yes for two key reasons. First, the rate at which this technology is being developed is incredibly rapid; we know this through our engagement with 20,000 companies every year. Second, the pervasive nature of this new technology in our modern lives is far more elevated than previous technological revolutions. New technologies touch on practically every aspect of industry, jobs and our lives as individuals. We are now living through a period of technological disruption that is without historical precedent. While every new wave of technology presents opportunities, equally new technologies have the potential to make certain human tasks obsolete, ultimately resulting in job transformation and in some cases job losses.

We believe the critical link that will enable us to maximize the potential of technological disruption while minimizing risks is upskilling. The demand for new technological skills is extremely high and growing all the time. Every year Skillnet Ireland supports around 10,000 companies in Ireland in digital transformation. We support around 30,000 workers every year to develop new digital skills.

 

PR: Why has Ireland been successful in attracting foreign direct investment and multinationals?

PH: Ireland has an impressive track record in attracting investment from abroad. Multinationals that come to Ireland generally stay. However, they must first grow and prosper after establishing a local presence. A large part of the success of multinationals in Ireland has to do with our pro-enterprise policy framework and available talent. Ireland is home to a highly educated, adaptive and agile workforce. One of our remits is to ensure that we never cede this advantage by continuing to invest in the skills of those who are employed to provide for demand.

 

PR: How significant is Ireland’s relationship with the US and how has US-based industry helped your reskilling programs? 

PH: The United States and Ireland have deep historical and cultural links. In many ways, it was forged in sadness through Irish people being forced to emigrate over centuries. Now, Ireland is an outward-looking, English-speaking country that possesses a pro-enterprise framework, stable political system, innovative public sector and access to the European single market. It is home to a well-skilled workforce with a great attitude. Although we have legacy connections, we are now recognized as a good business proposition that goes both ways; US corporations in Ireland benefit from policies and supports we have in place, and in turn benefit the Irish economy and workforce.

We are ambitious and have seen how we can grow by working together with US companies and multinationals. We are confident that we can continue to support those enterprises with the talent they need to move forward. We are consistently striving towards this objective in partnership with our colleagues in the university system, the further education system and the apprenticeship system, all of which rank highly on the international stage.

 

PR: How significant is combating climate change, and what is Skillnet Ireland doing to support the government’s efforts to lower carbon emissions?

PH: The biggest challenge we face in the future is climate change. As they say, courage is the most important of human qualities because it is the one that guarantees everything else. We must look at climate change through this lens. We have entered a 10-year window of opportunity to act, beyond which consequences of climate change will become irreversible. Now is the time for courage and ambition. While areas like digital transformation and supporting SMEs will continue to dominate our focus for the short and long term, our biggest priority is to ensure we safeguard our climate for future generations. Skills and talent will play a central part in this effort.

While the challenge is seismic, so too are opportunities in terms of new green skills and jobs. Our job is to ensure everyone is equipped with the right skills to support this transition. Our new Climate Ready initiative helps companies become sustainable and lower or eliminate their carbon footprint. In the next five years we will invest several million into green talent and green skills with the support of Simon Harris, minister of education and innovation, and companies in the private sector.

 

 

 

 

No Comments

Sorry, the comment form is closed at this time.