My Department commissioned the OECD to undertake a review examining Ireland’s National Skills Strategy, as well as our skills structures, policies and approaches. The project was launched in November 2021 by myself and Secretary General of OECD Mathias Cormann.
There are four phases, scoping, assessment, recommendations and publication. The project is looking at four key areas - governance of the skills ecosystem, lifelong learning, innovation, and balance in the type of skills needed. We are now in the recommendations phase with a final report expected in March 2023.
My Department leads the project working across Government via a Cross-Departmental Project Team (CDPT), and through the primary skills infrastructures, the National Skills Council (NSC) and nine Regional Skills Fora (RSF), rooted in collaborative and extensive engagement with enterprise, education providers and other skills stakeholders.
The Project is currently in stage three and my officials are working closely with OECD and key skills stakeholders to develop and refine recommendations.
Clear areas of focus emerging include our need to have more dynamic, granular, real-time data to inform how we respond rapidly to industry’s needs, particularly across digital skills demands in all sectors; our intent to continue focus on short, flexible and blended skilling options for individuals entering and for people transitioning in the workforce; and, our ambition to progress ease of navigability through options for skilling and ensuring individualised, continuous learning journeys are enabled, encourages and as easy as possible to undertake. Fundamentally, the initial indicative findings highlight the impetus for digital, green and workforce ready skills for the world of work and need for strengthened workforce development.
It is important to note that we are building from a strong foundation towards agile advanced ecosystem. As the OECD completes its work, Department is working in tandem with the project to advance our skills agenda. Initiatives include the launch of ESRI DFHERIS Joint Skills Research Partnership (2022-2025) on Irish Skills Requirements, establishment of the working group to put in place a Single Portal for careers and skills information, and an anticipated strengthened workforce development approach including through close work in partnership with Skillnet Ireland, RSF, NSC and SOLAS.
Our overarching skills agenda places skills, knowledge and talent as essential components of a vibrant labour market, prioritising the need to:
- build on our strengths, maintain our competitiveness, enrich talent and skills partnerships, deepen really dynamic skills responses as our economic positioning evolves and exogenous shocks encroach,
- leverage the opportunities of digital transformation and climate adaptation and mitigation,
- ensure that Ireland boldly and bravely embraces a fully transformed 21st century model of talent development– and to be just as successful in that as we embrace of education through the 20th century.
