James Lawless (Kildare North, Fianna Fail)

The 16 ETBs are the backbone of further education and training, FET, context in local communities. They were established under the Education and Training Board Act 2013 and are funded and overseen by SOLAS, the further education and training authority, which is funded by my Department. The ETBs play a critical role in supporting inclusion, community involvement, outreach, developing critical skills, and underpinning the workforce development and lifelong learning agenda as part of the wider tertiary system. Provision in the FET sector includes accredited programmes at levels 1 to 6 on the national framework of qualifications, NFQ, as well as unaccredited options. This ranges from foundational skills such as literacy and numeracy, entry-level type courses, through to bridging programmes such as Youthreach, an incredibly important programme, at levels 3 and 4 going on to levels 5 and 6, including post-leaving certificate courses which involve progression to employment or higher education. The tertiary degrees are a wonderful initiative where a student can commence learning at a local ETB or further education centre, take a level 5 or level 6 qualification and go on to attend university for a level 7 or level 8 qualification. It takes away the fear factor or confidence factor of making that leap. They can take a smaller step locally but can then progress to a third level qualification beyond that.

Traineeships, apprenticeships and specific skills training focus on work-based learning and direct employment pathways through the ETBs. We have visited many local ETBs, as has Minister of State, Deputy Harkin. We have both gone around them over the past number of months and continue to be impressed by the work they do. They engage with the regional skills fora, with local employers and local industries, to ensure the needs of labour force is being met. ETBs also work with higher education institutions - the universities, the colleges, the technological universities - to create pathways from FET into higher education and qualifications beyond level 6. I mentioned the tertiary programmes where learners can start closer to home in a more comfortable, familiar setting without the attendant commuting, etc., and can progress to a third level institute beyond that.

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