The Irish government has announced a new retraining programme for people who have jobs in the hospitality, tourism and retail sectors due to the continuing COVID-19 pandemic.
According to The Irish Times, the new programme, which is called Skills Connect, is available through business support agency Skillnet Ireland and it is hoped that it will help as many as 2,000 people by the end of 2020. The programme will also be available next year, when the number of people who participate in it is expected to grow.
Skills Connect offers reskilling and retaining for areas that have employment potential, such as cyber security, software programming, digital marketing and customer service, free of charge.
"Pleased To Launch"
The Irish Times quotes minister for further education Simon Harris as saying, "Throughout this pandemic, we have been working hard to support our people and our workforce, particularly those of you who have lost your jobs as a result of COVID-19.
"We are investing in skills development to get people back to work quickly and help businesses get back on their feet.
"I am pleased to launch Skills Connect, a new training scheme from Skillnet Ireland, which was funded as part of the government's July Jobs Stimulus Package.
"Skillnet Ireland has an excellent track record of working with employers to deliver dynamic reskilling opportunities with work placements and employer mentoring.
"Skills Connect will be available nationwide across a wide range of areas such as cyber security, medtech, wind energy efficiency, organic farming and much more.
"There is no doubt that Ireland's talented workforce will be key to our economic recovery. I would strongly encourage anyone who has lost their job as a result of COVID-19 to explore Skills Connect and see how it can support your career recovery."
© 2020 Hospitality Ireland – your source for the latest industry news. Article by Dave Simpson. Click subscribe to sign up for the Hospitality Ireland print edition.
