Special Initiatives
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Skillnets Strategy 2005-2010
Recognising that the enterprise-led approach has made a positive contribution to raising the profile of enterprise training in Ireland, the Government has granted a new five year mandate to Skillnets for 2005-2010. Up to €55 million has been made available from the National Training Fund. This provides significant new support and funding to industry to boost the skills levels across companies and their employees. This opportunity for developing human potential can underpin the competitiveness of firms as well as increase the long term career opportunities and employability of employees.
Skillnets has approved 54 networks for the period 2006-07.
Mission
Skillnets' role is to act as an enterprise-led support body dedicated to the promotion and facilitation of enterprise training and workplace learning, as a key element in sustaining national competitiveness.
Skillnets will continue to foster and support an enterprise-led, networked and partnership approach to the provision of enterprise training and expand and develop that approach by supporting innovation and enhanced workplace learning.
The primary aim of Skillnets will be to increase participation in enterprise training by firms to improve competitiveness and provide improved access for workers to skills development.
Approach
Skillnets will continue to adopt a broadly based approach, and support the uptake of training in a range of sectors from those with high growth potential, to workers in vulnerable sectors. Skillnets will continue to place a special emphasis on small and medium sized companies and provide higher levels of support to projects involving smaller companies.
The Training Networks Programme
The Training Networks Programme will ensure that, insofar as possible, training is available to employees at all levels in participating organisations. In particular, Skillnets will encourage firms to include the training needs of workers with low basic skills by piloting appropriate work based approaches.
Strategic Pillars
In implementing its programme of activity from 2006 onwards, Skillnets will focus primarily on the following strategic areas:
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Pillar 1 - Driving skills strategies through sectors and partnerships to encourage training participation at sector level.
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Pillar 2 - Growing the skills base by giving workers access to lifelong learning opportunities.
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Pillar 3 - Developing local learning responses to allow enterprises to develop training opportunities for employees at local level.
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Pillar 4 - Building best practice in learning and development in all aspects of the design, delivery, evaluation and dissemination of enterprise training.
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