Oireachtas Joint and Select Committees

Tuesday, 24 May 2022

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Education and Skills

Future Funding of Higher Education: Discussion (Resumed)

Mr. Ray English:

Yes, we absolutely believe so. It is evidenced by the number of people from companies who come back and say they watch what happens at World Skills and people's positions. The last time we were placed tenth in the world, which is a really strong performance for our country. We are involved in a range of skills - traditional skills and new and innovative ones. It is the ICT and the green skills that are emerging. The twin track of sustainability and digitisation is really strong in what we do. The Deputy should not ask me; he should ask the two people present who competed in the competition what they got out of it and how it opened their careers. It encourages other people who are thinking that they can actually represent their country and win the gold, silver or bronze medal for it in their chosen career. That could be an electrician. We have had it in plumbing, automobile technology, aircraft maintenance, cloud computing and building information modelling. They go back into their industry and the invigoration within those communities is evident.

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