Where are we going?The view from SOLAS

Further Education and Training Strategy 2014 - 2019

NUIM18 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 Ministerunder this section’.

Wide-ranging Reform

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 2014• 260,000 will receive Further Education• 77,000 will receive Training.

Scale of Further Education and Training

Skills for the future

FET positive outcomes

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

2014 - 2019Developed 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 requiredb. Key indicators c. Responsible Lead Agencyd. Partner Agenciese. Timelines

•FET Strategy Implementation Advisory Committee chaired by DES (inaugural meeting end of October 2014)

• Linked support/complementary activity1. 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

THANK YOU