About First Polymer Training Skillnet
First Polymer Training Skillnet is the leading talent development network for the polymer industry in Ireland. First Polymer Training Skillnet is co-funded by Skillnet Ireland and network companies. Skillnet Ireland is funded from the National Training Fund and the European Union through the Department of Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science. We are guided by business needs and dedicated to enhancing the skills, competitiveness, and innovation capacity of our member companies.
As an initiative promoted by Polymer Technology Ireland, the Ibec group representing Ireland’s polymer sector, we operate at the intersection of sectoral policy and workforce development. This unique connection allows us to translate Ibec’s sectoral expertise and high-level trends into practical talent development. Because we are led by industry needs, we can design training programmes that address specific regulatory, technical, and leadership challenges, delivering tangible business results.
We work closely with our members to identify critical skills gaps. Through the Skillnet Ireland model, we provide:
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Training designed by the industry, for the industry.
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A platform for business leaders to share best practices and solve common challenges.
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Government-subsidised, cost-effective access to world-class learning and development.
By aligning workforce capability with Ibec’s strategic industry goals, we help our members maintain a competitive edge and navigate the shifting demands of the polymer market.
Polymer Technology Ireland Strategy 2020
The polymer technology industry is the backbone of Irish manufacturing, with world-class processors, suppliers and service providers employing nearly 7,000 people across 230 businesses and generating €1.62 billion in exports each year.
First Polymer Training (FPT) Skillnet was established in 1999 to ensure this vital sector had the skills and expertise needed to thrive. At the time, a gap had emerged in specialist injection moulding training following the closure of Plastics Training and Consultancy. Recognising the risk this posed to competitiveness, Ibec’s Polymer Technology Ireland stepped forward and successfully applied for Skillnet Ireland funding to create a network dedicated to the polymer industry. FPT Skillnet was one of the very first Skillnet Busines Networks in the country and more than two decades later, it remains one of only three of those early pioneers still in operation.
Mission Statement: FPT Skillnet’s mission is to deliver best practice training which meets the current and future needs of employers and employees in the plastics industry in Ireland.
From the outset, FPT Skillnet was designed as an industry led initiative: a collaboration between business and Skillnet Ireland to deliver technical training shaped by the sector’s real world needs. Based in Athlone, long regarded as the heart of polymer education in Ireland, the network quickly grew into a national centre of excellence. Today, our state of the art training facility features the latest processing equipment and technologies, enabling us to offer a comprehensive range of programmes including injection moulding, extrusion, thermoforming, blow moulding, robotics, automation, sustainability, and more.
Over the years, FPT Skillnet has expanded its offering to include over 20 QQI accredited programmes from Level 5 right through to Level 10, as well as part-time degrees in partnership with the Technological University of the Shannon (TUS) and Atlantic Technological University (ATU). Training is delivered in Athlone, online, or directly within companies and always tailored to the specific needs of industry.
Guided by Ibec and a voluntary Steering Group of key industry leaders, FPT Skillnet continues to stay true to its mission which is to provide world-class, practical training that supports the growth, innovation, and competitiveness of Ireland’s polymer industry.
Opening Hours
Our office is open from 9:00am to 5:00pm Monday - Friday.
Learn More
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Learn about our Contracting Organisation here
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Learn about our Steering Committee here
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Learn about our Training Facilities here
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Learn about Skillnet Ireland here
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Meet our team here
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