In a throwback to the awards programme earlier this year, Gaelchultúr and Mayo, Sligo and Leitrim Education and Training Board have been named winners of the Best Collaboration Award – Domestic (Economic, Digital & Workforce Development) at the Education Awards 2026, recognised for a focused and effective partnership that has advanced the use of Irish in the workplace through fully funded, QQI-accredited training aligned with the practical demands of modern professional environments.

The collaboration addresses a clear and meaningful gap in Ireland's workforce development landscape. By delivering Irish-language training that is professionally accredited, fully funded, and structured around workplace relevance, Gaelchultúr and MSLETB have widened access to professional Irish for learners who might otherwise have had no clear pathway to developing that competency in a career context. Clear progression routes from beginner to advanced professional competence give the programme both immediate accessibility and long-term value for participants.

The strength of the partnership's operational model was a particular point of recognition. Clearly defined responsibilities between the two organisations, robust learner outcome metrics including completion rates, satisfaction scores, and Net Promoter Score data, and strong evidence of continuous improvement gave judges a clear picture of a collaboration built not just for impact but for scalability and long-term sustainability across the Irish education sector.

That combination of educational leadership, operational rigour, and genuine workforce development impact reflects the kind of domestic collaboration the Education Awards are designed to celebrate, demonstrating how strategic partnerships between education providers can achieve outcomes that neither organisation could deliver as effectively alone.

Judges were clear in their assessment. "The entry highlighted clearly defined responsibilities, robust learner outcome metrics including completion, satisfaction, and NPS, and strong evidence of continuous improvement. The collaboration model is both scalable and operationally realistic, demonstrating a real impact on workforce development," the panel stated.

The Education Awards 2026 gala took place on 16 April at the Johnstown Estate, Enfield, Co. Meath. Entries for the 2027 cycle are now open, with submissions closing on 18 December 2026.

Visit the official Education Awards website to submit your entry for the 2027 cycle and subscribe to the newsletter for more updates and insights.