Many Irish adults are at risk of falling behind in the workforce as they do not have the right skills to thrive in their current employment and are unprepared for changes in the world of work, according to an international report on skills in Ireland.
While the share of adults with a college degree is well above average, the OECD Ireland Skills Strategy Report finds that participation in lifelong learning to facilitate essential upskilling falls far behind the top EU performers.
Lifelong learning is measured by the participation of the adult population (25‑64 year olds) engaging in education and training. Eurostat measured this in Ireland as 14 per cent in 2021. Top EU performers, Sweden and Finland, had rates of 35 per cent and 31 per cent respectively.
In addition, the report said employers had expressed significant concern about labour and skills gaps.
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It noted that significant investment in skills, including supports for management capabilities and adoption of high performance work practices, were essential ingredients to ensure SMEs across Ireland could increase productivity, innovation and competitiveness.
OECD secretary general Mathias Cormann said a strong focus on skills had been central to Ireland’s strong economic performance and improvements in wellbeing. “However, there are significant challenges ahead with labour shortages, slowing productivity growth and the need to successfully navigate the skills implications of the green and digital transformation of our economies, while dealing with the impact of population ageing,” he said.
“Ireland can and must build on its strengths by better balancing skills demand and supply, by fostering greater participation in lifelong learning, leveraging skills to drive innovation, and strengthening skills governance.”
Minister for Further and Higher Education Simon Harris said the need to keep pace with skills demand was underlined by the fact that changes in our professional and personal lives are not going to cease. “Whether it’s digitisation of society or other trends we live with, like climate adaptation, the pace of transformation will only increase,” he said.
“We have a short window of opportunity to ensure that these transformations lead to a new age of good work, good jobs and improved quality of life for all.”
He said he would report back to Government shortly on the next steps including the need to consider a new Skills Act.
Mr Harris said funding was available to support a wide range of upskilling and reskilling initiatives that meet the demands of a changing world, address skills shortages and contribute to the digital and green economy.
“The challenge is set, and I know we will rise to it this year. We have form on this. We are a people with the capacity for change. We have always been an island of learning, a country of creativity, a skill so crucial for the future world, inside and outside work. Our young people are global role models,” he said.
