Where are we going? The view from SOLAS Further Education and Training Strategy NUIM 18 October 2014

Section 9 of the Further Education and Training Act 2013 states that SOLAS will ‘prepare, and submit to the Minister, a strategy in relation to the provision in the State of further education and training in respect of the period of 5 years immediately following its approval by the Minister under this section’.

Wide-ranging Reform ETBs QQI SOLAS DSP HEA Local Government

Further Education and Training Authority (SOLAS) Higher Education Authority (HEA) Universities and other Colleges Institutes of Technology Primary education Secondary Education Department of Education and Skills Quality and Qualifications Ireland (QQI) Public Employment Services Community Employment Programmes Department of Social Protection 16 Education and Training Boards Department of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation Expert Group on Future Skills Needs (EGFSN) FÁS Institutional reform

Learner VTOS PLCs Apprenticeship Community Education Statutory provision Traineeships Youthreach Specific Skills Training BTEI Literacy & Numeracy Diversity of Further Education and Training

The full extent of FET provision in the State is very broad ranging and includes many actors in addition to the former VECs and FÁS. €826 million investment by DES/SOLAS Approx. 22,000 courses in 2014 Approx. 340,000 will receive Further Education or Training in ,000 will receive Further Education 77,000 will receive Training. Scale of Further Education and Training

Skills for the future Skills Economic growth Insulator v unemployment Social Inclusion & Social Mobility ‘SMART’ economy Employment growth

FET positive outcomes FET Employment Progression to further or higher education and training Wider benefits of learning: Social benefits Wider benefits of learning: Personal development Wider benefits of learning : Professional development To achieve employment as an outcome for an increasing number of FET graduates, FET curricula needs to be aligned to the identified skill needs of the economy.

Development of the Further Education and Training Strategy Developed with the assistance of the Economic and Social Research Institute

FET Strategy process … ESRI research – ‘Further Education and Training in Ireland: Past, Present and Future’ SOLAS consultation workshops Other sources: NESC review, Apprenticeship review Government policy: Pathways to Work, Action Plan for Jobs, Youth Guarantee Evidence pointed to: – The need for a clear definition for FET – Lack of coordination and planning – Only a partial alignment with the labour market requirements – Up-skilling of the existing workforce – A perceived lack of consistency in the quality of provision both across FET components and providers – Limited employer engagement – A lack of a data infrastructure – Inflexibility and low relative status

Areas for Policy Maintain a balance between labour market and social inclusion provision Co-ordinate planning to provide strategic direction on changing labour market and social conditions Consider patterns of accreditation (non-accredited community education) Consider the quality of awards and the consistency of FET delivery Improve data collection Monitor and evaluate Integrate literacy and numeracy into FET provision (as appropriate) Integrate meaningful work experience and skills development into FET programmes Coordinated approach to employer engagement (nationally and locally) Continuous Professional Development (CPD)

From strategy to implementation The Further Education and Training Strategy launched on 12 May 2014 by the Minister for Education and Skills. Overarching Strategy Implementation Plan Dissemination of detailed Implementation Plan providing specifics around: a.Tasks required b.Key indicators c.Responsible Lead Agency d.Partner Agencies e.Timelines FET Strategy Implementation Advisory Committee chaired by DES (inaugural meeting end of October 2014) Linked support/complementary activity 1. Implementation is supported by the published national FET Services Plan managed by SOLAS, 2. Regular progress reports by SOLAS on FET strategy implementation to Government, to DES and the SOLAS Board. 3. The SOLAS Three-Year Corporate Plan

FET Strategy – an enabling framework Inclusion Innovation Employability European agenda Future focus Implementation priorities

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