North West Digital Employment Pathways Training Hub launches

A €9.9 million boost to digital skills training is on the way for the North West, with the launch of the North West Digital Employment Pathways Training Hub (NW DEPTH). 

Running for four years from September 2025, the initiative will offer an innovative suite of upskilling and reskilling courses in digital and cybersecurity skills to more than 2,000 people across the region.

This project – supported by PEACEPLUS, a programme managed by the Special EU Programmes Body (SEUPB) – is an initiative of the well-established North West Tertiary Education Cluster (NWTEC). 

NWTEC is a strategic alliance of all four publicly funded tertiary education providers in the North West City Region: Atlantic Technological University (ATU), Ulster University (UU), North West Regional College (NWRC) and Donegal Education and Training Board (Donegal ETB).

The overall objective of NW DEPTH is to develop a learner-centred Digital Skills framework that encourages individuals to progress along flexible but structured learning pathways. This framework will support participants in advancing up the relevant qualification framework, helping them to re-enter, remain or progress in their roles within the North West digital workforce.

NW DEPTH will encompass courses in Fundamental Digital Skills (400 participants), Intermediate Digital Skills (800 participants), and Advanced Digital Skills (800 participants).

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Fundamental Digital Skills are characterised as skills that aim to equip individuals across all sectors with the ability to use digital technology effectively and safely in daily activities and entry-level jobs.

Intermediate Digital Skills are characterised as skills that sit at the overlap between FE and HE, blending practical application with more strategic understanding. These skills enable professionals to execute more specialised missions and adapt to rapidly changing technologies.

Advanced Digital Skills are characterised as the upper levels of the qualifications framework and are typically taught in the HE setting. This level emphasises innovative technologies, advanced problem-solving, and specialised knowledge pertinent to complex and dynamic environments.