Further Education and Training in Ireland

RECENT DEVELOPMENTS12 JUNE 2014

Education in Ireland

• 2013 BUDGET FOR EDUCATION AND TRAINING WAS €8.5 BILLION.• 16% OF GOVERNMENT SPENDING IS ON EDUCATION.• 1/3 OF ALL EMPLOYEES IN THE PUBLIC SECTOR ARE EMPLOYED

IN EDUCATION• ENROLMENT IN EDUCATION IS EXPECTED TO GROW

SIGNIFICANTLY IN THE NEXT 10 YEARS.

National Framework of Qualifications(NFQ)

FURTHER EDUCATION PROVISION Full-time and Part-time provision Further Education Colleges Youthreach Centres Community Training Centres Training Centres (former FÁS) Apprenticeships Adult and Community Based Education

Further Education Colleges

Provide full-time FE courses (Post Leaving Certificate)Academic YearFinanced by the Department of Education and Skills - through SOLASTeachers paid at second level teacher rateSome students entitled to Back to Education AllowanceSome students entitled to Vocational Opportunity Training Scheme allowance Some FE delivered in Second Level Schools Part-time self-financing evening provision

YouthreachFulltime provision for Young People (over 15) who have dropped out of schoolAllowance paid to studentsTeachers paid as teachers and as resource workersStudents can spent up to 4 years in YouthreachConcentration on literacy, numeracy and basic skills

Community Training Centres

Training schemes run for young people who have dropped out of schoolRun by local committeesStaffed by trainers

Training CentresProvides full-time and part-time training for adultsConcentration on people out of work. Unemployed people referred to centres.Training Centres also provide education and training for apprenticesStaffed by instructorsA high proportion of the training is now franchised out to private providers

Apprenticeship in Ireland Long established apprenticeship system Employer led standard based system Governed by trades Only 2% of Irish school leavers enter apprenticeships Only 25 designated areas 24 fours duration and 1 three years 1685 apprentices recruited in 2013 Recent review of apprenticeships in Ireland Recommends reform of present apprenticeships and expansion of apprenticeships into new areas

ETB Adult & Community Based Education Service

Community Education

Literacy Service

Adult Education Guidance

Out of School Service

Literacy ServiceGroup literacy: reading , writing, spelling, mathsFETAC: Levels 3 and 4 in Communications, Maths, ComputersESOL: English for Speakers of Other LanguagesOne to one literacy: reading, writing, spelling, maths

Adult Guidance Service

Dedicated guidance counsellorInformation on access, educational opportunities and progressionInformation on learning opportunities in the areaProvide one-to-one adult education guidance and group guidanceFree Internet Access for learners

Further Education Students

• School Leavers• Mature Students• Unemployed• INTREO• Social Inclusion• International Students• Students with disabilities/SEN

Further Education Students 2013

Fulltime Students

35,609 Post Leaving Certificate (in Further Education Colleges)

5,637 Vocational Training Opportunities Scheme (VTOS)

3,700 Youthreach

Part-time students

32,066 Back to Education Initiative

55,000 Adult Literacy

11,240 English for Speakers of Other Languages (ESOL)

3,230 Skills for Work (people at work with literacy difficulties)

56,000 Community Education

Further Education (Training) 2013

9,000 Apprentices

5,000 Traineeships

16,300 Specific Skills Training

6,500 Momentum (unemployed)

12,000 Online

2,200 Bridging Foundation (unemployed)

3,600 Community Training Centres

4,600 Local Training Initiatives

3,300 Specialist Training Providers

Reform of FET Education and Training Boards Act 2013 Further Education and Training Act 2013 DES review of Further Education and Training 2013 Aggregation of ETBs July 2013 Establishment of SOLAS October 2013 Apprenticeship Review January 2014

Higher Education

•Half of 30-34 year olds now have third level qualifications, the highest level in Europe

•Irish universities are in the top 1% of research institutions in the world across 18 academic disciplines

•Ireland is 1st in the world for the availability of skilled labour

•Ireland has the 4th highest percentage of Maths, Science and Computing graduates in the EU

•75% of Irish employers are satisfied with graduate skills.

Reform at Third Level National Strategy for Higher Education to 2030Third Level institutes are being amalgamated and the number is being reduced from 39 to 25Institutes of Technology are being consolidated into Technological UniversitiesRegional clusters of HEIs are being set up