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Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 17 November 2021

Wednesday, 17 November 2021

Questions (151)

Rose Conway-Walsh

Question:

151. Deputy Rose Conway-Walsh asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science the total enrolments on all green skill and sustainability programmes running across the tertiary system in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [56263/21]

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Written answers

General provision in areas such as green skills and sustainability is ongoing across tertiary education, delivering education and training programmes from short courses targeted at awareness building, upskilling and reskilling programmes to full and part-time academic and vocational programmes. The curricula of many other programmes will also include elements and modules targeted to green skills and sustainability components.

In the further education and training sector, short courses are targeted at upskilling and increasing knowledge awareness for existing professionals. SOLAS is working to develop a strategy to support the Climate Action Plan and associated skills training at further education level. SOLAS’s strategy on green skills is being developed and it is actively engaging across a very broad range of internal, external and industry stakeholders to ensure that tangible and appropriate FET responses are devised. Information in relation to the total enrolments in all green skill and sustainability programmes running in the Further and Education Training Sector is currently being collated by SOLAS and will be sent to the Deputy as soon as it is available.

In higher education, in addition to core education delivery, funding is provided under Springboard and the Human Capital Initiative to incentivise programmes which support the development of professionals in areas such as building analysis and climate adaptation; sustainable building technology and retrofit, conservation and sustainability. Two innovation projects have commenced under the Human Capital Initiative (Pillar 3). These projects are directly supporting increased availability of skills development in the construction sector through the Digital Academy for Sustainable Built Environment (DASBE) in Limerick IT and the REEdl project in IT Tralee which is based on a world leading model of self-directed, project centric learning using Virtual Reality and Augmented reality (VR/AR) in supporting student engineers along with access to world class research centres.

Under Springboard+ 2021/22, 17 courses are available in green skills and sustainability such as Near Zero Energy Building (NZEB), Bio-Energy, Clean Technologies and Electric Vehicle Technology. Details in relation to the total enrolments in all green skill and sustainability programmes in the higher education sector are in attachment 1.

Skillnet Ireland supports the construction sector through two national construction-specific Skillnet training networks, as well as through multiple regional Skillnet training networks that assist construction businesses in their respective regions. CIF and Skillnet Ireland launched the Construction Professionals Skillnet in January 2020 to provide customised learning and development solutions to meet the specific professional learning needs of the construction industry. Programmes are currently available in areas such as Communications, Project Management, Sustainable Construction, Contracts and legal responsibilities.

The Construction IT Alliance (CitA) Skillnet also facilitates the advancement of construction firms through digitalisation and the development of skillsets that enable businesses to adopt new and emerging information and communications technologies. The network primarily supports architecture, engineering, construction, and operations enterprises within the construction sector and has provided programmes such as Advanced BIM Management and a Higher Diploma in BIM over the last 12 months.

Enrolments

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