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Skills Connect


What is Skills Connect?

Skills Connect is an initiative developed by Skillnet Ireland to support people who are unemployed and who wish to re-join the workforce.

 

Through Skills Connect, individuals can enhance their job prospects by refreshing existing skill sets and expertise, or by learning new skills.

Businesses can gain from the talent and skills that the individuals have honed, which are essential for future success.

These programmes are free for people who are seeking employment. Applicants must meet the Skills Connect eligibility criteria, see below, and also meet the specific entry criteria for the programme.

Starting in May 2025 is our Certified Bookkeeping course.  Candidates may be short listed for interview in advance of places being awarded and the availability of places.

If you are in receipt of one of the following social welfare payments, you are eligible:

  • Jobseekers Allowance (JA)
  • Jobseekers Benefit (JB)
  • Back to Work Enterprise Allowance
  • Jobseeker’s Credits only
  • Blind Pension
  • Disability Allowance
  • Farm/Fish Assist
  • Illness Benefit
  • Invalidity Pension
  • One-Parent Family Payment
  • Rural Social Scheme
  • Supplementary Welfare Allowance
  • Adult dependants (of listed schemes)

If you are not in receipt of a welfare payment but your circumstances match the following, you are eligible:

  • Former sole traders and business owners
  • Recent graduates who are unemployed
  • Homemakers
  • Retirees seeking to return to the workplace
  • Individuals who fail to qualify for social welfare payments because of a spouse’s income
  • Individuals signing on for credits but in receipt of no social welfare payment
  • Individuals who have recently accepted redundancy payments
  • Non-European Economic Area (EEA) nationals holding immigration Stamp 4

Further details of Skills Connect and the eligibility criteria can be found on the Skillnet Ireland website.