The Upskilling Co-ordination Group was established in 2007. The purpose of the Group is to provide a forum for providers of training and vocational education to exchange information and to discuss common issues. It also assists the Department in overseeing the effective co-ordination of different education and training provision funded by the Department of Education and Skills and delivered by FÁS, Skillnets, the VECs and the IOTs. The Group has met once in 2010.
The Upskilling Co-ordination Group has not been tasked with publishing specific reports. However, the Group updates the Senior Officials Group on the implementation of the National Skills Strategy on progress on improving co-ordination of the State's Education and Training provision. Membership of the Group comprises of representatives from the following organisations:
Department of Education and Skills;
Higher Education Authority;
Further Education Authority;
FÁS;
FORFAS;
Enterprise Ireland;
County Enterprise Boards;
County Development Boards;
Institute of Technologies;
National Adult Literacy Agency;
Irish Vocational Education Association;
Skillnets.