Network will subsidise environmental training

Environmental professionals in Ireland will soon be able to take advantage of subsidised training to keep them on top of the latest developments in their industry.


Enviroskillnet, which started operating last month and will be officially launched next Friday, is forming a network of consultancies in the Emerald Isle and will offer them help to pay for training for their employees.

The scheme is funded by member companies and Skillnets, the support body set up in 1999 to enhance the skills of people working in Irish industry, using funding from the Irish government’s National Training Fund.

More than 30 companies have already signed up to Enviroskillnet ahead of the official launch to help their employees access training subsidised by up to 80%.

It aims to provide training in three key areas identified by consultancies in a survey last year – legislation, IT and methodology.

Network manager Dr Shirley Gallagher told edie: “The cost [of training] is incredibly high because of the specialised nature of it, and there’s a need because we need to upscale skills all the time.

“A lot of the time, people have to go to the UK and further afield to access training, which increases the cost.”

Dr Gallagher encouraged more firms to sign up to the network, particularly smaller companies and sole traders which find it particularly difficult to fund training for their employees.

Enviroskillnet will also be taking part in the Irish Water Waste Environment (IWWE) and the Irish Recycling Waste Management (IRWM) exhibitions in Dublin on March 5 to 6.

The network is currently funded for two years, but Dr Gallagher hopes to secure continued funding to run the project beyond the end of 2009.

Irish firms can find more information here.

Kate Martin

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