1. VTOS – Meeting Future Skill Challenges Mary Hamilton VTOS National Conference, 2009

2. VTOS Changing with the Times

3. Limerick VTOS 2009: Factors for Consideration 39% of existing learners at level 3 46% of existing learners non-Irish nationals Significant no of existing learners with high support needs Increasing new student demand for LC & ESOL Decreasing new student demand for job specific vocational options Changing target group profile as a result of widespread and ongoing redundancies in the region Organisational systems & structures that are tied to the 2 nd level school sector limit the flexibility and agility of VTOS and inhibit development of multi-agency responses

4. Pointers for Future Development of VTOS Clarify VTOS space in the adult learning landscape, particularly in relation to: VEC Post Leaving Certificate Provision Other VEC Adult Education Service Provision eg. Ad. Lit, BTEI, etc. Other agency adult education / training provision eg. FAS, IoTs, etc. Clarify the content, focus & purpose of VTOS provision for students, external stakeholders and general public. Is it to be ABE; Levels 4 – 6; General Education; Generic Vocational Training; Technical Vocational Training - or is it to be a mixture of some or all of these? Articulate & promote VEC Adult & Further Education as an integrated and coherent whole – linking separate full-time & part-time programmes ( VTOS, PLC, BTEI, Ad. Lit., Self-financing, ESOL, etc.) in a way that is logical, spells out progression options and makes sense to the general public. Establish an independant pre-entry guidance / screening service at the level of either: a)VEC Adult & Further Education Provision or b)All Local adult education and training provision