Spotlight On Joe Leddin, Mid West Regional Skills Forum Manager

  • Mid West Regional Skills logo

The attractiveness of the Mid-West Region is based upon a value proposition which other locations throughout the world seek to replicate, collaboration. 

The Mid-West Regional Skills Forum is a partnership between regional education and training providers, local authorities, local enterprise offices and relevant public and private sector organisations to meet the skills and talent needs of industry in the region.

The forum is currently chaired by Eimear Brophy, Limerick Clare ETB and managed by Joe Leddin. Job roles and the nature of work is continuously changing.

Joe Leddin, Mid West Regional Skills Forum Manager said: “Globalisation, the arrival of the 4th Industrial Revolution in the form of Industry 4.0, technological megatrends and labour market changes are leading employers and employees to re-evaluate the skills required to ensure continued economic productivity and job security.”

Joe Leddin
Joe Leddin, Mid West Regional Skills Forum Manager

The forum is a Government led business resource to help employers regardless of size or industry sector to connect with the range of services and supports available across the further education and third level sector. Work is changing rapidly.

To illustrate the speed of our changing workplace a survey by Accenture states that 65% of today’s primary school children may be in jobs not yet created. An OECD 2017 report entitled ‘Workforce Reskilling’ claims that 35% of the skills demanded for jobs across industry sectors will change by 2020.

If you are a business in Limerick, Clare or North Tipperary and you have a skill need and would like to engage with the appropriate education or training provider, then contact Joe on 086 8160569 or email joeleddin@regionalskills.ie.

Joe explained: “Innovative partnerships between enterprise and education consistently deliver relevant practical skills and talent solutions. Partnerships such as Limerick for IT and Limerick for Engineering are best practice examples of how cooperation delivers talent, while enhancing the economic growth and job creation opportunities of a region.”

With full employment now looming in Ireland, attracting and subsequently retaining skilled talent is of paramount importance to employers. Communication and understanding between employer’s skill needs and education provider’s course offerings will help to ensure that the Mid-West continues to supply a strong pipeline of work ready and skills ready talent.

The work of the Mid-West Regional Skills Forum is aligned with Government policies including National Skills Strategy 2025, Action Plan for Education, and the Mid-West Regional Action Plans for Jobs.

Current members of the Mid-West Skills Forum include the IDA, Ibec, Limerick Chamber, Enterprise Ireland, University of Limerick, Limerick Institute of Technology, Mary Immaculate College, Skillnets, Limerick Clare ETB, Tipperary ETB and the Local Enterprise Office network.

For more information visit www.regionalskills.ie

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