Only one in five people are very confident they have the skills for the job they want in the next five years, according to a new survey. The finding is contained in a poll of 1,100 adults last week which examined attitudes to upskilling and reskilling.
The survey, conducted by Amárach, was commissioned by the Department for Further and Higher Education.
Of those who recently learned a new skill, 90 per cent said it improved their mental health and made them feel more confident, while 62 per cent said they did it to develop themselves as a person.
Almost one in four people are only “slightly confident” they have the skills to advance in their current jobs, and only one in five are “very confident” they have the skills for the job they want in the next five years.
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The poll was commissioned to benchmark demand for upskilling or reskilling among the Irish population. It shows nine out of 10 people want to learn a new skill in the near future.
Ireland, however, lags behind the top EU performers when it comes to the proportion of the population engaged in “lifelong learning”, or education and training. A total of 14 per cent in Ireland are involved in lifelong learning, behind top EU performers such as Sweden (nearly 35 per cent) and Finland (31 per cent).
Minister for Further and Higher Education Simon Harris said Ireland had an incredibly educated population, but we could no longer assume that what we learned in three or four years of study was sufficient to last a lifetime.
“Today is about telling people of all ages and all backgrounds that there are countless opportunities available in this country to learn a new skill,” he said.
“The world is changing at a rapid pace and it means skills have a shorter shelf life than ever before. So, yes, I’m determined to drive the skills agenda in order to help support the economy, and what the research carried out last week by Amárach also shows is that the benefits of lifelong learning go well beyond a monetary value.”
He said learning a new skill, pursuing a passion or taking on a course you always wanted to do improved self-confidence and mental wellbeing.
“I am again issuing a rallying call for us to this year collectively rise to the challenge of arming ourselves with new skills, for everyone to take advantage of all the opportunities available, and help drive both our economy and societal wellbeing,” he said.
Part and full-time courses are available through Education and Training Boards across Ireland, while Skillnet Ireland programmes are developed by business, for business, with more than 23,500 companies of all sizes benefiting from upskilling programmes each year.
Nessa White, executive director of transformation at Solas, the further education and training authority, said learning a new skill was “easier than you think”.
“The benefits of lifelong learning are endless, with the further education and training sector playing a crucial role in equipping learners with the skills to reach their full potential,” she said.
“There have never been more opportunities for upskilling and reskilling with smart, flexible further education and training courses available in every county in Ireland, delivered by a network of 16 Education and Training Boards, and by eCollege, the national online learning service.”
