Paul Healy will leave Skillnet Ireland, the State agency for workforce development, at the end of March after informing the board of his plans to step down as CEO in November.

Skillnet Ireland has commenced the recruitment process to select and appoint a new CEO following Healy's departure after nine years in the role.

Brendan McGinty, chair of Skillnet Ireland, said that Healy was leaving to embark on a new career as part of a business consulting partnership.

“Paul’s contribution to the transformation and success of Skillnet Ireland over the past nine years has been immense, leading the implementation of two ambitious Statements of Strategy," said McGinty.

"Paul has significantly deepened Skillnet Ireland’s roots with industry bodies, sectors and directly with companies, more than doubling the number of enterprises that engaged with Skillnet Ireland programmes during his tenure, ensuring the agency is in an exceptionally strong position going forward.  

"Through Paul’s leadership, Skillnet Ireland is now at the centre of the government’s workforce development agenda, with the agency delivering on multiple policy actions assigned to it with regards to the digital economy, the green transition, SME innovation, and talent development for the major industry sectors."

Healy started his career with Bank of Ireland, where he worked as a business development manager for Bank of Ireland Life and head of sales & marketing for First Rate.

After more than seven years with the bank, he spent a further nine with Irish Life as a senior manager in HR with Irish Life before joining Skillnet at CEO in January 2016.

Skillnet is partnered with 57 industry bodies and supports 97,700 trainees annually. The agency is funded from the National Training Fund through the Department of Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science.   

Photo: Paul Healy. (Pic: Supplied)