Innovation in Continuing Training – the Irish Strategy
John McGrath
Research Manager
FAS – Irish Training and Employment Authority
Structure of Presentation
The Institutions in the Labour Market The Irish Education System Identification of Skill Needs VET Qualifications Framework The National Human Resource Strategy Conclusions: Strengths and weaknesses Key challenges
Irish Education System Overview
Post-Graduate - 13,600 awards
Higher Cert (2 yrs) and Ordinary Degree (3 yrs) – 16,000 awards
Honours Bachelor Degree (3-4 yrs) - 25,500 awards
Further Education & Training (1-4 yrs)
(VECs; FÁS; Teagsc; BIM; etc.) - 22,900 awards
Leaving Certificate (2-3 years)- 54,000 awards
Junior Certificate (3 years) - 57,400 awards
Second Level
Further Ed. and Training
Higher Education
Third Level
Key education facts
Second level almost all academic About 82% complete the Leaving Certificate Apprenticeship only covers 26 trades About 45% have only junior certificate Many students take post leaving courses
Institutions in the labour market (4 Key players)
Expert Group on Future Skills Needs Forfas FAS – Skills and Labour Market
Research Unit Economic and Social Research Institute
Expert Group on Future Skill Needs
Established in 1997
To advise Government on skill shortages
Reports to both Ministers of Enterprise Trade and Employment; and Education and Science
Tri-partite structure, employers, unions, Government
Administration Services provided by Forfas
In 2001 established its own in-house research resource
This is Skills and Labour Market Research Unit
www.skillsireland.ie
Forfas: the National Policy and Advisory Board for Enterprise, Trade, Science, Technology and Innovation.
Responsible for the development of economic policy
Co-ordinating the work of the development agencies (IDA Ireland; Enterprise Ireland)
FÁS – the Employment and Training Authority
Manages the Public Employment Services Apprenticeship system Skills Training Foundation-level training Provides non-commercial community- based
training for LTU’s Provides services for industry training Advises on labour market policies Conducts research
Training and Employment Resources
20 Training Centres
62 Employment Services Offices
External Contracted Training Services
2,300 Staff
81 Workshops supported jointly with Communities and
Departments of Education & Science and Justice, Equality & Law
Reform
Call Centre
The Skills and Labour Market Research Unit (SMLRU)
In 2001 Expert Group created its own in-house research team (SLMRU)
Set-up and maintain the National Skills Database
Conduct skill studies of economic sectors
Produce annual reports on skills supply and demand
Identify imbalances in the labour market
Conduct studies of economic sectors
Produce ad-hoc analysis for Government departments and Development Agencies
www.skillsireland.ie
National Skills Database
Electronic storehouse All nationally produced data Skills supply and demand
Structure of employment Immigration data All vacancies (public and private sources) Education enrolment, graduation Job-seeker activity
OccupationNumbers Employed
% Female
Part-time
% >55
% Non-
National
Growth rate
1999-2004
Work permit
sWork visas
DFV
2004
Replacement rate
Shortage indicator
Comment
Chemists 2,000 38% 2% 12% 4% 11% 13 1 3% Skill shortage F
Biological scientists 3,500 42% 5% 6% 0% 10% 4 1 5 3% Skill shortage F
Civil/mining engineers 8,900 9% 1% 7% 7% 7% 10 96 (32) 6 3% Skill shortage S,C,F
Mechanical engineers 3,600 6% 1% 9% 5% 7% 7 3 3% No shortage
Software engineers 8,600 17% 2% 1% 16% 8% 70 213 (61) 7 3% Skill shortage S,C,F
Chemical engineers 1,600 9% 0% 3% 5% 18% 2 3 3% Skill shortage S,C,F
Quality control engineers 2,300 26% 9% 9% 5% -6% 4 11 3% No shortage
Medical practitioners 11,800 36% 7% 13% 23% 12% 260 47 (15) 2 3% Skill shortage S,C,F
Pharmacists 2,500 50% 10% 15% 9% 3% 27 3% No shortage
Veterinarians 1,800 19% 2% 30% 2% 3% 2 3% No shortage
All occupations 1,865,300 42% 17% 12% 6% 3% 3,552 1,454
Demand and shortage indicators: sample
SLMRU research output to date
Sectoral Studies Logistics industry (2002) Construction professionals (2003) Digital content study (2005) Paper, printing and packaging (2005) Basic Metals, Metal Fabricating and Transport and
Equipment Engineering Sub-sectors (work in progress) Quality of Management Skills in the Construction Industry
(work in progress) Construction (2003) Financial services (2003) Healthcare (2005) Financial services (2005)
Use of SLMRU research
Education provision New degree in logistics (Limerick IT) Third school of architecture (Limerick University) Financial advisors courses (FAS)
Immigration policy
Skills for inclusion in Visa/Authorisation scheme
Skills for inclusion on new green-card/work permit schemes
Career guidance
Information on employment trends
Location decisions for Multi-Nationals
Key Features of Skills Needs Identification Model in Ireland
Integrates the demand-side and supply of the labour market Involves both employers and unions Social partners decide work programme Has on-line access to all relevant and up-
date data Annual review of recommendations Recommendations must be implemented
Economic and Social Research Institute Major Private Research Institute in Ireland
Has developed macro-economic model of Irish economy (Hermes)
Produces regular commentaries on Irish economy
Has major influence with Irish policy makers
Provides sector output forecasts for the SLMRU
Institutional framework
Minister of Enterprise, Trade and Employment Minister of Education and Science
Expert Group on Future Skill Needs FÁS
Skills and Labour MarketResearch Unit
Economic and Social Research
Institute
Forfas, Consultants
Key Features of NQF
Single integrated system Designed to facilitate Life-Long Learning Through systems-wide recognition of
qualifications Recognition of prior learning Promoting horizontal and vertical
progression routes Through a system of add-on
qualifications (minor awards and special awards)
Importance of Skills in Overall Enterprise Context
Source: Enterprise Strategy Group
World-class Skills, Education
& Training
• In general, Enterprise expresses satisfaction with the skills within the workforce, however, skill shortages exist in a number of sectors.
• High percentage of labour force with third level qualifications but also high level with lower secondary or below.
• There is poor participation in lifelong learning.
• There are poor levels of adult reading literacy although reading literacy amongst school children is good.
• Immigration has assisted in filling skills gaps, but also created fresh challenges for education and training providers.
Ireland’s skills performance to date
Profile of labour force in 2020 based on noadditional interventions
11%5%
17%
14%
28%
29%
12%
15%
12%
10%
20%28%
0%
10%
20%
30%
40%
50%
60%
70%
80%
90%
100%
2005 2020
Perc
enta
ge
No formal/ primary Lower secondary
Upper secondary Post leaving cert
Third level: Higher certificate / ordinary degree Third level: Honours bachelor degree or above
The answer is NO!
• Ireland will still lag comparator countries in terms of percentage of the labour force with lower secondary education or below
• Supply will not meet demand for skills in 2020. There will be shortages at third and fourth level and an oversupply of lower level skills
• From an economic and societal perspective it is not desirable to have such a large cohort at or below lower secondary level
• Skills have the potential to shape the economy of the future and contribute to productivity and innovation
Will skills profile based on no additional interventions be good enough?
• The Expert Group proposes a vision of Ireland in 2020, possessing a well-educated and highly skilled population which contributes to a competitive, innovation-driven, knowledge-based, participative and inclusive economy.
• Specifically, the Expert Group proposes that, by 2020 48% of the labour force should have qualifications at NFQ
Levels 6 to 10; 45% should have qualifications at levels 4 & 5; the remaining 7% will have qualifications at levels 1 to 3 by
2020; and within this objective, Ireland should aim to build capability at
fourth level and double its PhD output (Level 10) by 2013.
Vision
Vision
28%
7%
40%
45%
32%
48%
0%
10%
20%
30%
40%
50%
60%
70%
80%
90%
100%
Ireland's currentskills profile 2005
Vision proposedby EGFSN for
2020
% l
abo
ur
forc
e
Third & Fourth Level(Levels 6-10)
UpperSecondary/FurtherEducation (Levels 4,5)
Lower Secondary orbelow (Levels 1-3)
Increasing emphasis on Generic Skills Basic or fundamental skills such as literacy, using
numbers, using technology;
People-related skills such as communication, interpersonal, team working, customer-service skills; and
Conceptual skills such as collecting and organising information, problem-solving, planning and organising, learning-to-learn skills, innovation and creativity, systems thinking
Changing Skills
Within Occupations There is likely to be demand for an:• Increasing Breadth of Knowledge• Increased Share of Knowledge Work / Reduced Share of Routine Work• Rising Qualification and Technical Skill Requirements• Importance of Continuing Learning• Significance of Regulation • Skills for Dealing with Others
• Management Level Skills• Sales and Marketing Skills• Language Skills• R&D
Enterprise Skills
Changing Skills
1.45m
From the current labour force of 2m
650,000
New flow of young people from the education system
300,000
Increased participation & Migration
2.4m
Labour force
Labour force in 2020 will be made up of :
Labour force
+
+
Within the current workforce, an additional 500,000 people need to be upskilled through either education or training
Upskilling the workforce
Level 1/2 Level 3 Level 4/5 Level 6/7 Level 8/9/10
J unior Cert Leaving Cert Advanced Cert /
Ordinary Degree
Honours Degree or
Above
Level 1/2 70,000
Level 1/2 9,000
Level 3 250,000
Level 3 1,000
Level 4/5 140,000
Level 4/5 30,000
Level 6/7 4,000
Within the formal education system:• The retention rate to Leaving Certificate should reach
90% by 2020 (current rate 82%)
• In 2020, 94% of the population aged 20-24 should have a second level qualification (current rate 86%)
• The progression rate from second to third level should increase to 72% by 2020 (current rate 55%)
Formal Education
• Immigrants need to be integrated into the education and training system at all levels
• English language supports need to be put in place
• The recognition of international qualifications is key to maximising the contribution of immigrant labour
Migrant Skills
Education and training up to level 5 should be funded by Government for those currently without qualifications at this level.
Education and training from level 6-10 should be funded in a tripartite arrangement between employers, employees and Government.
New models required to incentivise employers and employees to engage in training and education.
Endeavour to move to a system that is more enterprise and employee led, away from a provider driven model.
Guiding Principles
Increase evaluation of education and training initiatives.
Increase awareness of value of education and training.
Increase emphasis on careers guidance and disseminating labour market information.
Increase emphasis on course accreditation and recognition of prior learning.
Co-ordinated approach to implementation is of paramount importance.
Guiding Principles