Design Skills Implementation Group: Year in Review 2020-2021

New report by Expert Group on Future Skills Needs (EGFSN) 

The report celebrates the progress and accomplishments made during the first year of implementing the recommendations of Together for Design. 

 Both the full report, as well as a summary, are available on the EGFSN website.

This is the first annual progress report produced by the Design Skills Implementation Group. The Group was formed on the foot of recommendations arising from the Expert Group on Future Skills Needs (EGFSN) 2020 Together for Design report. This report focused on the digital, product and strategic design skills required by enterprise over the period of 2020-2025. The report issued a series of recommendations to drive the change required to address the gap between skills demand and supply over this time period.

The recommendations address areas such as:

•  A Collective Voice for Leadership in Design
• Policy interventions to Address Skills Shortages in Design
• Collaboration between Education and Enterprise
• Develop Career Pathways in Design
• Design in Education

To support the implementation of recommendations in these areas, the Design Skills Implementation Group was established with key stakeholder representatives from industry, education and government. The Group provides a forum for practical action and collaboration aimed at addressing the skills needs of the sector. The first formal meeting of the Group was held in April 2020 in advance of the report’s publication in June 2020. Membership of the Group includes the EGFSN Secretariat based in the Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment (DETE), the Design and Crafts Council Ireland (DCCI), Design Educators Ireland (DEI), the Institute of Designers in Ireland (IDI), the Industry Research and Development Group (IRDG), and the Service Design Network (SDN). The Department of Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science (DHFHERIS) also contributed to this Group through regular updates on the actions underway in their Department to support the delivery of the report’s goals.