Six hundred additional postgraduate students will receive training in digital, data and ICT skills, as part of a new Science Foundation Ireland (SFI) programme launched today.
The programme, which was launched by the Minister for Business, Enterprise and Innovation, Heather Humphries, and the Minister of State for Training, Skills, Innovation, Research and Development, John Halligan, will receive an investment of €100 million from the Irish government, to meet the skills needs of industry.
As part of the training initiative, students will undertake placements in enterprise, other non-academic establishments or in groups of international collaborators, as well as working alongside academic research teams.
In order to ensure that students are receiving training relevant to the demands of companies, the new centres will be required to work with enterprise in the design and delivery of the programme.
SFI expects that approximately 20 per cent of the 600 additional postgraduate students will be funded by other sources such as industry, universities or charitable organisations.
Speaking at the launch, Humphreys said: “This new Programme was developed following a consultation process by my Department, to determine the areas of greatest priority and the nature of skills training required by enterprise.”
“The SFI Centres for Research Training programme will bring together the higher education sector and industry to develop and deliver innovative programmes of research and training, future-proofing the economy by addressing national skills needs in the areas of digital, data and ICT”, she said.
Also present at the launch was Dr Ciarán Seoighe, the Deputy Director of SFI. “We need to be ambitious and invest in areas of real potential to ensure our future economic competitiveness”, he said.
Halligan, also speaking at the launch, stated: “To have a pipeline of highly trained, well networked research talent in areas of strategic importance for Ireland is a key priority for us.” Halligan said the programme “will help enhance their skills, employability and leadership potential”.
