An independent economic impact assessment by Indecon Economic Consultants has found that ReSHAPE, an AI-powered skills platform serving Ireland's Midlands region, has generated an estimated €7 million in economic impact from a €4.15 million investment, positioning it as a potential national blueprint for workforce planning and skills development.

Business Plus reported that to date the platform has supported 98 enterprises and 2,064 learners through fully funded upskilling and reskilling opportunities. Participating companies represent an estimated 6,000 to 8,000 direct jobs across Laois, Offaly, Longford, and Westmeath, with 82 per cent of employees believing ReSHAPE has made them more productive and 72 per cent saying it has helped them remain in the Midlands.

ReSHAPE is delivered by a consortium of Technological University of the Shannon (TUS), Munster Technological University (MTU), and University of Limerick (UL), co-funded by the Irish government and the EU through the Just Transition Fund Programme 2021 to 2027. The platform uses artificial intelligence alongside the European Skills, Competences, Qualifications and Occupations (ESCO) framework to create a common skills language across employers, education providers, and learners.

Carmel Halligan, programme manager at TUS, said the Indecon findings validate the platform's approach to workforce development. She said: "ReSHAPE was developed to address one of the biggest challenges facing employers and workers across Ireland, ensuring people have the skills they need for the jobs of today and tomorrow, while giving organisations the tools to develop and retain the talent they already have. The independent Indecon assessment provides strong third-party validation of both the impact ReSHAPE is already delivering across the Midlands and its potential to become a new model for workforce planning."

Geraldine O'Sullivan, ReSHAPE project manager at MTU, said the platform's strength lies in the connections it creates across the skills ecosystem. She said: "In today's labour market, where retaining skilled employees is just as important as recruiting them, ReSHAPE helps employers understand the capabilities within their workforce, identify future skills gaps and connect staff with personalised learning pathways that support both career progression and business growth."

For HR practitioners and workforce planners, the ReSHAPE impact data addresses a persistent gap in regional skills development: the absence of real-time intelligence connecting employer capability needs, individual skills profiles, and available training provision in one integrated system.