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Further and Higher Education

Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 8 March 2022

Tuesday, 8 March 2022

Questions (427)

Bernard Durkan

Question:

427. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science the plans he has put in place to specifically target the areas of key demand in the economy with particular reference to science, ICT and engineering; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13092/22]

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Written answers

The challenge to deliver suitably qualified graduates to meet the demands of the economy is a fundamental focus for my Department across the entire skills system, including tertiary - composed of further and higher education - and also through the research ecosystem at fourth level.

Ireland has an advanced system of skills provision, across further and higher education and lifelong learning, which is agile and responsive to changes in the world of work. It is, of course, also critical that graduates acquire technical and transversal skills, and that our talent pipeline meets these dual and complementary needs.

The development of skills policy and responses to skills needs is evidence based and informed by the work of the Skills and Labour Market Research Unit (SOLAS) and the Expert Group on Future Skills Needs in relation to the supply of and demand for occupational skills.

We know that in a dynamic economy and labour market there will be skills gaps. The imperative is to ensure that our skills forecasting and delivery system is proactive in assessing and responding to the existing and emerging skills needs in our economy and society.  My Department’s skills policies continue to be developed taking account of ‘mega-trends’ impacting on labour demand including digitalisation, automation and climate change.

Looking forward, I launched the OECD Skills Strategy Project in November 2021. Our work with the OECD includes a comprehensive examination of the National Skills Strategy and approach - in order to ensure that we have a solid foundation on which to build Ireland’s competitiveness and support economic and social sustainability into the future. The project is rooted in partnership - extensive consultations are underway with key partners in the skills ecosystem at both national and regional level, and including via Extraordinary Meetings of the National Skills Council, taking place on 7th and 8th March.

Further Education and Training (FET) is primarily delivered or contracted by the 16 Education and Training Boards (ETBs) under the funding and strategic direction of SOLAS, the Further Education and Training Authority. FET provision includes both labour market focused programmes and programmes with a strong social inclusion dimension at levels 1-6 on the National Framework of Qualifications (NFQ). FET aims to deliver quality programmes, well aligned with learner needs and labour market requirements, to deliver the best possible employment, progression and personal development results for learners. 

The Skills to Advance initiative, which was launched by SOLAS in 2018 and is delivered through the ETBs, is also a key part of the strategic response to the changing world of work. It aims to equip employees with the skills to progress in their current job, or to take advantage of new job opportunities. Targeting support for vulnerable groups in the workforce, it also supports SMEs who need assistance to invest in and develop their workforces.

The SOLAS Skills to Compete initiative prioritises the reskilling and retraining of those unable to return to their previous employment following the pandemic. Skills to Compete focuses on transversal skills development to help employability, building the digital capabilities now required for almost every job, and specific Level 4-6 courses targeting growth sectors and occupation, including ICT programming; software development and web developers.

Skillnet Ireland is enterprise-led and supports the promotion and facilitation of workforce learning to sustain Ireland’s economic growth and national competitiveness. Every learning network funded by Skillnet Ireland is a cluster of companies from the same sector or geographical location. The Skillnet Ireland model facilitates companies to actively participate in determining their own training needs and how, when and where training will be facilitated. There are also a number of specific networks in the STEM area through Skillnet Ireland, including the Technology Ireland Digital Skillnet.

The Adult Literacy for Life (ALL) Strategy, a 10 year adult literacy, numeracy and digital literacy strategy published in 2021, sets out a cross-government, cross-economy, cross-society approach to achieve the vision of an Ireland where every adult has the necessary literacy, numeracy and digital literacy to engage in society and realise their potential. One of the stated targets set out in the ALL Strategy is ensuring that 80% of adults have at least basic digital skills by 2030.

Across Higher Education, existing programmes to encourage participation in STEM careers include Springboard+ and Human Capital Initiative (HCI) Pillar 1.

Springboard+ complements the core State-funded education and training system and provides free and subsidised upskilling and reskilling higher education opportunities in areas of identified skills need. The initiative’s primary target group are unemployed people with a previous history of employment. Over recent years with the decline in numbers on the live register the focus was changed to include more people in employment and those returning to the workforce.

Courses remain free for unemployed, returners and those in employment participating at level 6 of the NFQ. Employed people participating on courses at levels 7 and above in the NFQ contribute 10% of the course cost, with the remainder being funded by the Government.

Human Capital Initiative Pillar 1 provides for Graduate Conversion Courses in a range of courses, building on the experience from ICT Conversion Courses under Springboard.

Under Springboard+ 2021, 11,642 places are being provided on 330 courses.  In 2021/22, HCI Pillar 1 is providing funding to create 2,204 target conversion course places, including 780 places in ICT courses. As a result of multi-annual funding of graduate conversion courses, this leads to a combined total of 13,846 places in 408 courses available in the 2021/22 academic year under Springboard+ 2021 and HCI Pillar 1. There is a broad range of courses, including courses in areas of new and emerging technologies such as Cybersecurity and Virtual Reality. Almost 64% of course places are in STEM-related areas. The Springboard+ 2022 call for proposals was launched in December 2021. Springboard+ 2022 is due to launch in Q2 2022.

In relation to research, the 6 Science Foundation Ireland Centres for Research Training, established in 2019, will provide cohort-based PhD training for over 700 postgraduate students under the theme of Data and ICT Skills for the Future. Students are being recruited in 4 cohorts – the third group commenced in 2021 - and  collaboration is at the core, with over 90 academics and over 40 companies, to ensure we can meet the  future skills needed in these critically important areas.

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