Press Release 19th June 2023
LAUNCH OF WICKLOW SKILLS STRATEGY PUBLIC CONSULTATION
Wicklow County Council has engaged KPMG Future Analytics to conduct a survey of both employers and residents in Wicklow to feed into research that will inform the development of a new Skills Strategy for the county.
In order to build up a detailed picture of the employment landscape in County Wicklow, the Council wants to hear from the county’s employers to understand key skills gaps – as well as the major drivers of change across sectoral employment.
The views of anyone working or living in County Wicklow, or commuting out of the county to work, are being also sought to help the Council gain a thorough understanding of the skills we already have in the county, as well as future skills needs.
Welcoming the launch, Cllr Aoife Flynn Kennedy, Cathaoirleach of Wicklow County Council, said: “I am delighted to see Wicklow County Council take the initiative in working towards ensuring the future skills needs of the county are met. This is especially relevant given that this is the official European Year of Skills.”
She continued: “County Wicklow is a great place to live, work, visit and do business in. Ultimately, this study – and the Strategy stemming from it – seeks to ensure that Wicklow continues to have the skills necessary to capitalise on emerging employment opportunities.”
Emer O’Gorman, Chief Executive, Wicklow County Council, also welcomed the initiative stating: “As one of the most rapidly growing counties in Ireland, Wicklow has unlimited business potential, some of which can be seen through the significant expansion and development the County has undergone in recent years. Yet, it must be acknowledged that the availability of skilled workers is key to maintaining competitiveness and attracting investment to the county.”
She added: “This project will work towards ensuring that there will be an adequate supply of sufficiently skilled labour available in Wicklow over the coming years to maximise potential growth across a number of key sectors. In doing so, it will seek to identify existing skills gaps that are not being met at present, and also provide an analysis of available skills that are currently commuting out of County Wicklow.”
The Skills Surveys can be found on Wicklow County Council website at https://www.wicklow.ie/Living/Services/Online-Consultation-Hub/County-Wicklow-Skills-Survey, and also on Wicklow County Council’s Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter feeds.
Submissions to the strategy are also welcome.
