Learnovate urges organisations to bridge digital skills gap by joining a new Work Ready Graduate Programme co-funded by Enterprise Ireland and IDA Ireland.
The Learnovate Centre at Trinity College Dublin is calling on employers wishing to transform their operations with cutting-edge AI and data analytics to become a host organisation in its Work Ready Graduate Programme (WRGP).
The WRGP was created by Learnovate to respond to the shortage of digital skills in the Irish economy by offering organisations the opportunity to host high-calibre graduates in AI and data analytics on 12-month placements.
“It is a model that builds capability and benefits both graduates and companies”
Co-funded by Enterprise Ireland and IDA Ireland, the WRGP provides companies with a structured, low-risk way to build out their technological capabilities, while offering graduates the chance to earn up to €38,000, gain experience and apply their skills to a real digital transformation project in a work setting.
AI and digital skills gap holds back Irish SMEs
Learnovate director Nessa McEniff
According to Learnovate’s 2025 Learning Signals Survey, two-thirds (66%) of Irish organisations cite AI and digital fluency as their most pressing skills gaps. Half (52%) are still only in the early stages of developing a strategy to address the issue.
“Organisations are grappling more and more with how best to adopt AI and advanced learning technologies in ways that deliver genuine value,” explained Learnovate director Nessa McEniff.
“The Work Ready Graduate Programme provides a practical pathway to do that. Companies gain access to best-in-class graduates who can provide transformative impact on priority projects, while those graduates are supported through structured mentoring and exposure to leading-edge research and practice. It is a model that builds capability and benefits both graduates and companies.”
Under the WRPG model, host organisations benefit from the Learnovate research team’s continuing mentoring of the graduates, who also take part in structured reviews, workshops and professional development courses in project management.
Former host companies include adaptive learning firm Adaptemy; B2B strategic workforce platform SkillsVista; curriculum management provider Akari, and Hibernia College, a higher education institution specialising in flexible, online postgraduate and professional development programmes in education and healthcare.
Hibernia College reported that graduates delivered measurable impact in terms of AI adoption, data-driven decision-making and digital learning innovation. They helped extract and analyse complex learner data from college systems, generated insights that informed changes to programme design and delivery, and supported the practical application of generative AI in content production and digital workflows.
“The quality of candidates we received through the Work Ready Graduate Programme was phenomenal and, when they came on board, their impact was transformative for our operations, said Hibernia College Digital Learning Team manager John Lenehan.
“They were very effective at extracting data and developing insights from our systems – insights that helped us re-think our approach to how we evaluate and deliver digital learning content. The Work Ready Graduate Programme is a fantastic resource for any organisation looking for experts to proactively lead the introduction of cutting-edge tools and technologies in a way that’s cost-effective for their business.”
Host organisations have also highlighted the value of the programme’s cost-sharing model. Funding is available to host organisations for up to 70% of the programme’s value, which will allow companies to explore new technological capabilities in a managed and supported way.
This is a nationwide initiative with in-office, hybrid and remote roles available through the programme. Many host organisations have elected to offer graduates full-time positions following the 12-month placement, a move which reflects both the calibre of participants and the value delivered during the placement.
The programme is currently accepting applications with up to 12 organisations set to serve as hosts during the next intake. All host organisations must be registered with Enterprise Ireland. For more information on how to become a WRGP host organisation, contact info@learnovatecentre.org
Top image: Nilay Udeshi, Hibernia College, successful participant in Learnovate’s Work Ready Graduate Programme
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