Mr. Philip Sheridan:

We need to consider education as a global product. Our country attracts the biggest industries in the world. Vocational education can play a big role in this regard. In regard to the particular skills required, while we are currently experiencing emigration, people are also immigrating to Ireland to work for these international companies. Education has to be outward thinking as well as inward thinking. The City & Guilds would encourage that approach.

We need to consider the framework as three dimensional. It is not a linear system. We can add value and knowledge in a format that creates more learning for people. People should view lifelong learning as a part of life rather than something they have to do to get a job. We have to adapt to the speed at which industries change.

Many of the people I know who went to university and graduated with high level degrees found they could not get jobs without experience and or gain experience without jobs. Today's discussion has focused on how we can fix that problem. Apprenticeships are an ideal way to integrate learning and working in a way that almost guarantees future careers.