UCD Professional Academy Respond to Market Demand for Upskilling

UCD Professional Academy, Ireland’s leading destination for short-form professional development and upskilling courses, announces its upcoming LEAD Forum (Leaders in Education & Development) taking place on Thursday, 27th March 2025, at the UCD University Club from 10:30 am to 2:00 pm.

Driven by technology advancements, a rapidly changing workforce and a growing culture of lifelong learning – the professional education sector is evolving at speed. Coupled with the ever-evolving Irish economy, it is more important than ever to future proof Ireland’s workforce.

This year’s LEAD forum, will bring together L&D leaders from across Ireland’s corporate sector, attracting key players from the Finance, Insurance, IT, Health, and Construction sectors, amongst others, to discuss the future of upskilling in Ireland.

Attendees will hear from Amy O’Hanlon, an expert on Human Resource Management on Navigating Success: Skills-Based Talent Management and from Antionio Palacios, Chief Product & Technology Officer, UCD Professional Academy who will outline innovations within short-form learning which respond to market demands for upskilling.

UCD Professional Academy, in collaboration with its corporate partners following the inaugural LEAD Forum in 2024, continues to build training experiences which address the pressing challenges faced by employers and employees seeking effective upskilling within demanding work environments. Attendees of this year’s LEAD Forum will get an exclusive opportunity for their teams to fully participate.

John Delves, CEO of UCD Professional Academy said, “We’re seeing employers clearly recognise the importance of investing in skills development—not only to address talent shortages but also to retain their best people. We’re proud to be at the heart of this effort, supporting the competitiveness and growth of modern Irish businesses. From AI advancements to career growth, we are committed to working with our corporate partners to respond to market demand and continue to develop our market-leading upskilling offering.”  

“This year’s LEAD forum, taking place Thursday 27th March, is a unique opportunity for L&D leaders to engage in crucial discussions, gain valuable insights, explore innovative solutions and network with their peers.

“This event intends to discuss the upskilling challenges organisations face and identify solutions to address Ireland’s skills gap, which is central to UCD’s strategic commitment to lifelong learning. We are encouraging any business leaders to join us at our Forum this week and continue the conversation.”  

Antonio Palacios, Chief Product & Technology Officer of UCD Professional Academy commented, “We’re proud to bring learning and development leaders from various industries together this year to UCD Professional Academy to discuss how we can future-proof Ireland’s workforce. With the rapid advancements in AI and technology reshaping our workplaces, it’s critical that we proactively adapt, respond, and collaborate across sectors to continue to deliver market-leading professional development.

“We are proud, in UCD Professional Academy, to have helped redefine the Professional Education Category in Ireland over recent years. We are truly informed by industry. Events like this help ensure our economy remains agile, innovative, and competitive in a rapidly evolving global landscape.” 

To reserve your spot for this year’s UCD Professional Academy LEAD Forum, please register here https://www.ucd.ie/professionalacademy/events/lead-for

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