Ireland's skills deficit putting jobs at risk and requires urgent investment if further jobs are not to be lost, the employers body Ibec warned today.
Speaking at the launch of a new action plan on training and development Ibec's Brendan McGinty said a skilled workforce is necessary to ensure that Ireland remains an attractive business location despite its high costs.
However he warned that Ireland has a "disappointing record on addressing skills problems once people have left the formal education system."
Mr McGinty quoted an OECD finding that 51 per cent of the population between 25 and 64 did not complete secondary education, more than 600,000 (30 per cent) of the workforce do not have a Leaving Certificate or higher qualification and less that 10 per cent participate in lifelong learning.
"Only 6 per cent of Irish adults participate in higher education compared to a government target of 25 per cent to be achieved by 2015,' said Mr McGinty.
Ibec is calling for training support for employers in vulnerable sectors including such as manufacturing, new initiatives to equip migrant workers with the skills needed to work in Ireland and closer industry-education links, with mandatory work placements for third-level degree students.
'Irish business is under intense competition from low cost economies in Eastern Europe and the Far East. If we are to secure existing jobs and attract more foreign investment the Irish workforce will have to develop new skills quickly, this will only happen if we have put in place a world class system of training and development,' concluded Mr McGinty.