2.3 Programme Area Skills Development (Second Call)

Deadline: 17-Jul-2026

The Special EU Programmes Body is inviting applications under the PEACEPLUS Programme’s Investment Area 2.3 Programme Area Skills Development to address skills gaps, improve access to quality training, and strengthen cross-border labour mobility across Northern Ireland and the border counties of Ireland.

The second call has a total indicative budget of €4.9 million, with grants covering up to 100% of eligible project costs. Eligible applicants include public authorities, education and training institutions, research organisations, NGOs, business support organisations, voluntary sector organisations, and private sector organisations including SMEs and large companies.

What is the PEACEPLUS Skills Development Call?

The PEACEPLUS Skills Development call supports projects that improve workforce skills, training access, and cross-border labour mobility.

The call focuses on building a skilled workforce that can respond to current and future economic growth sectors across Northern Ireland and the border counties of Ireland.

It supports cross-border partnerships, joint training approaches, and area-based strategies that address identified skills gaps.

Funding Programme

The call is part of the PEACEPLUS Programme, a cross-border structural funds programme focused on peace, reconciliation, economic development, and territorial cooperation.

The programme represents an investment of €1.144 billion.

It is funded by:

• The European Union
• The Government of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland
• The Government of Ireland
• The Northern Ireland Executive

The programme is managed by the Special EU Programmes Body.

Theme and Investment Area

This opportunity falls under Theme 2: Delivering Economic Regeneration and Transformation.

It is part of Investment Area 2.3: Programme Area Skills Development.

The investment area supports initiatives that align workforce development with public policy goals, economic regeneration, and future labour market needs.

Main Purpose of the Call

The main purpose of the call is to strengthen skills development through cross-border cooperation.

The call aims to:

• Address skills gaps
• Improve access to quality training
• Strengthen cross-border labour mobility
• Support inclusive education and lifelong learning
• Promote apprenticeships for underrepresented groups
• Support reskilling and upskilling
• Build partnerships between education and training providers
• Reduce duplication of resources
• Develop joint programmes across the programme area
• Improve workforce development and employment opportunities

Geographic Focus

Projects must operate within the PEACEPLUS programme area.

The programme area covers:

• Northern Ireland
• Cavan
• Donegal
• Leitrim
• Louth
• Monaghan
• Sligo

All funded projects must demonstrate a clear cross-border focus in their development or delivery.

Funding Amount

The total indicative budget for this second call is €4.9 million.

This includes:

• €3.92 million from ERDF and UK ERDF equivalent funding
• €980,000 in government match funding from the Government of Ireland and the Northern Ireland Executive

Grants are available to cover up to 100% of eligible project costs.

Who is Eligible?

Eligible applicants may include public, private, academic, voluntary, and community sector organisations.

Eligible applicants include:

• National authorities
• Regional authorities
• Local authorities
• Development agencies
• Chambers of commerce
• Universities
• Further education institutions
• Higher education institutions
• Research organisations
• Non-governmental organisations
• Sectoral agencies
• Business support organisations
• Voluntary sector organisations
• Public-like organisations
• Private sector organisations
• SMEs
• Large companies

Applicants should demonstrate the ability to deliver cross-border skills development activities that benefit the programme area.

Priority Applicants and Sectors

Applications are particularly encouraged from organisations working in specific priority areas.

These include organisations supporting:

• Hospitality and tourism sector skills
• AI adoption in hospitality and tourism
• People who are not in employment, education or training
• Cross-border labour market skills gaps
• Workforce development
• Upskilling
• Reskilling

Projects should clearly show how they respond to real labour market needs and support inclusive participation.

Key Focus Areas

The call focuses on skills, collaboration, and cross-border workforce development.

Key focus areas include:

• Cross-border skills strategies
• Cross-community skills development
• Skills partnerships
• Further and higher education collaboration
• Apprenticeships
• Underrepresented groups
• Disadvantaged groups
• Reskilling
• Upskilling
• Lifelong learning
• Inclusive education and training
• Cross-border labour mobility
• Workforce development
• Local skills gaps
• Joint educational programmes

Priority Growth Sectors

Projects may address skills gaps in key current and future growth sectors.

Priority sectors may include:

• ICT and digital
• STEM
• Green economy
• Entrepreneurship
• Leadership and management
• Hospitality and tourism
• AI adoption
• Cross-border labour market sectors

Projects should demonstrate how the proposed training or strategy responds to identified sectoral skills needs.

What Types of Projects Are Supported?

The call supports initiatives that improve skills development and workforce readiness across borders.

Supported activities may include:

• Development of cross-border skills strategies
• Creation of skills clusters
• Joint educational programmes
• Cross-border training partnerships
• Apprenticeship initiatives
• Reskilling programmes
• Upskilling programmes
• Lifelong learning activities
• Training for underrepresented groups
• Initiatives that reduce barriers to participation
• Area-based skills development approaches
• Collaboration between further and higher education providers

Cross-Border Skills Strategies

Projects may support the development of shared skills strategies across the programme area.

These strategies can help partners:

• Identify common labour market needs
• Map current and future skills gaps
• Align training provision
• Improve education-to-employment pathways
• Support cross-border workforce mobility
• Strengthen cooperation between institutions and sectors

Education and Training Partnerships

The call encourages collaboration between further and higher education providers.

Partnerships may help:

• Develop joint programmes
• Share expertise and resources
• Reduce duplication
• Improve access to training
• Support learners across borders
• Build consistent skills pathways
• Connect training with employer needs

Inclusive Skills Development

The call places importance on improving access to education, training, and lifelong learning for marginalised and underrepresented groups.

Projects may support:

• People not in employment, education or training
• Disadvantaged learners
• Underrepresented groups in apprenticeships
• Learners facing barriers to participation
• Communities needing better access to workforce development opportunities

Key Concepts Explained

Cross-Border Labour Mobility

Cross-border labour mobility refers to the ability of workers, learners, and employers to access employment, training, and skills opportunities across borders.

Upskilling

Upskilling means helping people improve or expand their existing skills so they can progress in employment or adapt to new workplace demands.

Reskilling

Reskilling means helping people learn new skills for a different role, sector, or employment pathway.

Apprenticeship

An apprenticeship combines practical workplace learning with structured training, helping people gain skills and qualifications while working.

Skills Cluster

A skills cluster is a partnership or network of organisations working together to address specific local or sectoral skills gaps.

How the Call Works

Applicants should develop projects that respond to identified skills gaps and demonstrate clear cross-border value.

Projects should show how they will bring partners together, improve access to training, support workforce development, and contribute to economic regeneration.

All projects must demonstrate a cross-border focus in either their development or delivery.

How to Apply

Applicants should prepare a proposal that clearly explains the skills challenge, target groups, cross-border partnership, activities, and expected outcomes.

Suggested Application Steps

1. Confirm that the project operates within the PEACEPLUS programme area.
2. Identify the cross-border skills gap or labour market challenge.
3. Select the relevant sector or target group.
4. Build a strong cross-border partnership.
5. Define the training, strategy, apprenticeship, or skills development activities.
6. Explain how the project supports inclusive access to training.
7. Show how the project benefits Northern Ireland and the border counties of Ireland.
8. Prepare a realistic budget based on eligible costs.
9. Demonstrate how the project contributes to economic regeneration and transformation.
10. Submit the application according to SEUPB and PEACEPLUS requirements.

Assessment Considerations

Applications should demonstrate strong cross-border relevance, delivery capacity, and labour market value.

Assessment may consider:

• Alignment with PEACEPLUS objectives
• Cross-border focus and added value
• Relevance to identified skills gaps
• Quality of the partnership
• Benefit to the programme area
• Support for underrepresented and disadvantaged groups
• Strength of training or skills development model
• Contribution to labour mobility
• Alignment with current and future growth sectors
• Feasibility and value for money
• Capacity to deliver project outcomes

Expected Results

Funded projects should improve skills systems and workforce opportunities across the programme area.

Expected results may include:

• Stronger cross-border skills partnerships
• Improved access to quality training
• New joint education or training programmes
• Better support for apprenticeships
• Increased reskilling and upskilling opportunities
• Reduced barriers for marginalised groups
• Improved labour market mobility
• Stronger alignment with growth sectors
• Reduced duplication of training resources
• Better workforce development outcomes

Why It Matters

Skills gaps can limit economic development, reduce employment opportunities, and weaken regional competitiveness.

Cross-border cooperation can help education providers, employers, public bodies, and community organisations share resources, design joint programmes, and respond more effectively to labour market needs.

This PEACEPLUS investment area supports inclusive workforce development while contributing to peace, cooperation, and economic transformation across Northern Ireland and the border counties of Ireland.

Tips for Strong Applications

A strong application should clearly show the skills challenge and how cross-border collaboration will create added value.

Applicants should focus on:

• Clear evidence of skills gaps
• Strong cross-border partnership
• Practical training or strategy design
• Direct benefit to the programme area
• Inclusion of disadvantaged or underrepresented groups
• Alignment with growth sectors
• Clear delivery plan
• Realistic budget
• Strong employer or education-provider engagement
• Measurable workforce development outcomes

Applicants should avoid broad training proposals that do not clearly demonstrate cross-border value or identified labour market need.

Common Mistakes to Avoid

Applicants should carefully check programme area and cross-border requirements before applying.

Common mistakes include:

• Submitting a project without a clear cross-border focus
• Not demonstrating benefit to the programme area
• Providing weak evidence of skills gaps
• Failing to involve relevant education or training partners
• Ignoring underrepresented or disadvantaged groups
• Not explaining how barriers to participation will be reduced
• Submitting a vague training model
• Not aligning with current or future growth sectors
• Providing an unclear budget
• Treating skills development as a standalone activity without labour market relevance

FAQ

What is the PEACEPLUS Skills Development call?

It is a funding call under Investment Area 2.3 that supports cross-border skills development, workforce training, labour mobility, and inclusive access to education and lifelong learning.

Who manages the programme?

The PEACEPLUS Programme is managed by the Special EU Programmes Body.

How much funding is available?

The total indicative budget for this second call is €4.9 million.

What percentage of costs can be covered?

Grants can cover up to 100% of eligible project costs.

Which areas are covered?

The programme area covers Northern Ireland and the border counties of Ireland: Cavan, Donegal, Leitrim, Louth, Monaghan, and Sligo.

Who can apply?

Eligible applicants include public authorities, development agencies, chambers of commerce, universities, further and higher education institutions, research organisations, NGOs, business support organisations, voluntary organisations, public-like organisations, and private sector organisations including SMEs and large companies.

What sectors are prioritised?

Priority sectors include ICT and digital, STEM, green economy, entrepreneurship, leadership and management, hospitality and tourism, and AI adoption where linked to skills development.

Conclusion

The PEACEPLUS Investment Area 2.3 Skills Development call supports cross-border initiatives that address skills gaps, improve training access, and strengthen labour mobility across Northern Ireland and the border counties of Ireland. With an indicative budget of €4.9 million and grants covering up to 100% of eligible costs, the call offers strong support for partnerships working to build an inclusive and future-ready workforce.

Strong applications will demonstrate clear cross-border value, evidence of skills gaps, inclusive training approaches, strong partnerships, alignment with growth sectors, and measurable benefits for workforce development and economic regeneration.

For more information, visit SEUPB.