Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 18 January 2024
118. Deputy Jennifer Murnane O'Connor asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science to provide an update on the Programme for Government commitment to further promote a culture of lifelong learning within the workforce, focusing on increasing the lifelong learning rate from the current rate of 9% to 18% by 2025; what the current rate is in 2023; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [1965/24]
View answerLifelong Learning is key to leveraging the opportunities and challenges of an ever-changing world of work. This focus is underpinned by the OECD’s Skills Strategy Review published on 9 May 2023, and by our commitments on same.
Under the European Pillar of Social Rights Action Plan, we have defined our ambition of annual participation rate in Lifelong Learning of 64.2% of all adults by 2030, with an overall EU target of 60%.
Using current metrics, Ireland’s lifelong learning participation rates provide detail of the number of adults learners participating in education over the preceding four weeks. The annual average lifelong learning rate for workforce in Ireland was 12% in 2022. Figures for 2023 will available in Q2 2024.
The OECD Review highlighted the need for an increased focus on short and flexible skilling options for individuals entering or transitioning in the workforce; and clearer navigability of those options, in order to ensure continuous learning is enabled for all. Work is ongoing in both of these key areas.
My Department is dynamically progressing the reform of the National Skills Council (NCS) that is underpinned by the recommendations arising from the OECD review. This reform is two pronged and involves changes to the NSC’s mandate and membership to act as a platform for strategic engagement with Irish industry, enterprise and the main non-governmental stakeholders with a strong interest in skills and workforce development policy to take a high-level and broad perspective to skills challenges, policies and priorities.
This reform also involves the establishment of the High Level Skills Implementation Group (HLSIG) to support the work of the reformed NSC and ensure coordinated progress in implementing high priority OECD recommendations, including those relating to improving lifelong learning participation in and outside the workplace, across the whole-of- tertiary skills eco- system.
Meanwhile , my recent joint publication with Minister Foley of a Strategic Framework for Lifelong Guidance marks a milestone achievement that gives a policy framework to the continuum of guidance services throughout the lifecycle with the aim to help adults at all stages of their career and life to successfully navigate a labour market characterised by rapidly evolving skills needs. The Framework includes placing a focus on clarity of information provided about the rich offering of learning opportunities in Ireland.
