Written Answers. - Future Skills Needs.
Bernard J. Durkan
Ceist:
61
Mr. Durkan
asked the
Minister for Education and Science
the plans, if any, he has for the enhancement of the educational system in order to ensure the provision of graduates with suitable qualifications to meet the modern requirements in the workforce; if his attention has been drawn to the ever increasing need for higher technological skills; if he will specifically address this area with a view to reaching certain targets within a specified period; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
[11723/00]
The issue of raising the skills profile of people and of addressing the skills needs of the economy has been identified as a key priority in An Action Programme for the Millennium and in the national employment action plan. Over the past few years, a range of initiatives has been introduced to enhance co-operation between education and business and to ensure that our education system adequately responds to emerging labour market needs. These initiatives will be built upon in the planned educational investment outlined in the national development plan.
The Government is committed to ensuring an adequate supply of high quality output from the institutes of technology and universities at sub-degree, degree and post-graduate levels in order to maintain and enhance our ability to attract and retain highly mobile international investment in an increasingly knowledge based global economy. The Government established the expert group on future skills needs as part of the business, education and training partnership set up to develop national strategies to tackle the issue of skill needs, manpower needs estimation, and edu cation and training for business. In response to the first report of the expert group on future skills needs, the Government provided a £75 million investment plan to provide an additional 5,400 places predominantly in the engineering and computer hardware and software areas.
The second report of the expert group on future skills needs has recently been published. In the area of graduate skills, the report considered the chemical and biological sciences sector and made a number of recommendations, which are currently being considered.
Another initiative in this area is the provision of some 1,500 postgraduate places on a skills conversion programme for 1999-2000 to meet skills needs in the ICT area as identified by the expert skills group.
Arising from the work of the joint education-industry task force to improve the supply of technicians to the high-technology sector, an industry-college initiative was introduced in 1998 to jointly recruit, educate and train technicians. The national certificate in manufacturing technology was initiated in January 1998 in nine institutes of technology. The course involves structured work placement for six months as an integral part of the course and based on a partnership between industry and institutes with industrial involvement in course design, selection and placement. There are some 1,100 students currently on accelerated technician programmes in the institute of technology sector attending courses in the following skills shortage areas – manufacturing technology, computing – IT support – and industrial science.
The Deputy will also be aware of the significant investment being made in research in higher education primarily through the programme for research in third level institutions and the commitment to research in the national development plan. This investment acknowledges the importance of creating a leading edge research environment in higher education, which will both facilitate the training of future graduates and post-graduates to international standards and will have a positive impact on the quality of education and training delivered in higher education institutions.
