Tweets
Evaluation of Skillnets
What our client wanted
The Training Networks Programme (TNP) and Finuas Programme are enterprise-led, national training programmes in Ireland. They upskill employed workers and job-seekers across the country and by the end of 2010 had supported 250,000 individuals in more than 50,000 businesses.
ekosgen was appointed by Skillnets, the state funded organisation responsible for the two programmes, to evaluate the additionality, economic contribution and exchequer savings generated by the training, together with its relevance to employer needs and the suitability of Skillnets’ private sector network model.
What we did
The project required us to design and implement a range of surveys and primary research activities using a combination of methods that included:
- A telephone survey of over 100 Network Managers and Network Promoters (giving more than 80% coverage across both programmes);
- An online business survey (2,000 responses) and trainee survey (3,000 responses from employees and 550 from job-seekers);
- Nationwide face-to-face case studies covering a range of sectors and regions to provide qualitative depth about the Skillnets delivery model, the responsiveness of the training to business needs, its benefits and ways in which the programmes could be improved;
- Strategic stakeholder consultations to explore the ongoing fit of the programmes with national policy.
Desk based analysis of expenditure and output data was also undertaken, as was a comprehensive net impact assessment which quantified the return on public investment and the number of jobs created and safeguarded by the programmes.
What difference we made
The evaluation report has allowed Skillnets to recognise areas of success and identify actions to be taken to further improve the performance of the programmes. It found that:
- The training has been almost universally well received and has helped to overcome some of the most common barriers to training. It is responsive to business needs and the new skills acquired are regularly applied in the workplace;
- By the end of 2010, the programmes had supported the creation and safeguarding of more than 800 (net) jobs to date across a range of sectors;
- Other economic benefits include €19m in new sales, €20m in safeguarded sales, €21m in saved costs and a contribution of €66.7m in net Gross Value Added to the Irish economy.
Excerpts from the final evaluation report can be found via the following link:
http://skillnets.ie/sites/skillnets.ie/files/pdf/skillnets_news_issue11_0.pdf
What our client said
“I enjoyed working with you…..I always found the whole ekosgen team very approachable and good to work with.”
Senior Programme Manage
Skillnets