HEA urging Ireland’s talent pool to upskill
Tthe Higher Education Authority is at the front line of the move to address Ireland’s skills shortage. According to the governing body’s head of communications, Malcolm Byrne, skills are of utmost importance to the continued growth of our economy.
“Ireland’s economic development will be more and more based on our talent pool. Our talented and skilled workforce has helped Ireland to grow to be as successful as we are. However, in order to compete globally, we’re going to have to ensure that those coming into the education and training systems for the first time are well-skilled — while also looking to constantly upskill all of our citizens.”
Byrne cautions that those who fail to heed the importance of upskilling risk being left behind. “The rate of change in technology is going to demand that we look to acquiring new skills to be able to meet the needs of society and the economy. That upskilling is going to be incredibly important — there’s going to be more [people] changing careers and there will have to be further integration between the higher education and further education areas.”
The HEA measures the skills deficit through its work with the national skills forum and by liaising with employers and employers’ bodies. Its annual employers’ survey seeks to understand employers’ views of graduates to establish what skills Ireland needs its graduates to have.
Byrne says that Ireland’s higher and further education systems are becoming increasingly integrated. Institutions are working more closely together to deliver our skills needs. However, he adds that certain sectors still have blatant skills shortages and in many cases the apprenticeship model fills the gap.
Technology is the primary sector suffering a skills shortage, says Byrne. “The apprenticeship model is going to be key for addressing these shortages,” he says. While a lot of the focus is on tech, he says that equally, there is a need for more skilled and qualified people in the services industry. “Increasingly, there are needs for good salespeople and in marketing in the hospitality sector.”
Despite a shifting career landscape, he believes there are skills that will always be in demand. “Communications and teamwork and how to effectively use technology will be as vital in the future as they are now,” he says.
What does he say to employers? “Smart employers are always looking to what’s coming for their business and what technology is going to impact on what they do, and what opportunities will present themselves. That means ensuring they have skilled individuals who have built their skills up to meet those demands. Because technology is going to be changing what we do so significantly, it’s going to be important that employers provide training for employees and help shape how apprenticeships and skills programmes are designed.”
See hea.ie/skills-engagement/ apprenticeships/ for more information.