The strategy outlines plans to present Ireland as a global leader in engineering by broadening the talent pool and accelerating learning velocity.

Engineering Skillnet and business representative body Ibec have unveiled a new strategic plan, ‘Engineering a Skills-First Future 2026-2029’, which aims to address industry skill issues. 

The plan was developed in collaboration with industry leaders, learners and the Engineering Skillnet steering committee to build on a robust approach to identifying talent gaps and mapping emerging technologies to ensure Ireland’s engineering workforce remains agile, productive and globally competitive. 

The strategy outlines plans to present Ireland as a global leader in engineering by broadening the talent pool and accelerating learning velocity, according to its creators.

According to research underpinning the strategy, 84pc of engineering employers are experiencing challenges in the identification of skills. Meanwhile, 54pc of all staff were found to be in need of major skilling or upskilling.  

To combat these challenges, the strategy found that there needs to be a fundamental shift from a traditional focus on job roles and fixed titles towards a more human-centric, skills-first approach, as a means of further developing the workforce. 

Commenting on the research and strategy, Pauline O’Flanagan, the director of Engineering Industries Ireland, noted a critical alignment with national competitiveness. 

“In 2026, global competitiveness is defined not by hardware or capital investment alone, but by the skills agility of our workforce to operate and optimise increasingly complex, interconnected systems,” she said.

“To remain a global leader, Ireland must look beyond traditional job classifications and embrace a skills-first approach.”

Fiona Fennell, the network manager of Engineering Skillnet, added, “Work is changing at a rapid pace, with jobs fragmenting and many skills now expiring quickly. Ireland has a uniquely multi-skilled workforce, but how we identify and develop talent needs to evolve. 

“We believe that a ‘skills-first’ blueprint is essential to secure Ireland’s economic future. This approach moves away from viewing talent purely through titles or credentials, prioritising instead the balance of confidence and competence needed to perform work well.

“Given shifting geopolitics and demographics, this strategic plan represents a profound commitment to future-proofing skills mobility, starting right from the factory floor.”

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