John O'Mahony (Mayo, Fine Gael)
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Question 264: To ask the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment the supports and services available to employers and employees who are seeking to upgrade their qualifications and skills with regard to the upskilling of the Irish workforce; when these supports and services were launched; the success of same; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13385/08]

Micheál Martin (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail)
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My Department works with other Governments Departments, State agencies and other interests to ensure that the development of training policy takes account of the requirements of employers and workers and to ensure that training programmes respond to and cater for those requirements. This year my Department will invest €77 million in the training of those in employment. This figure does not include significant public support for apprenticeships.

Key agencies in delivering supports and services to employers and employees to assist them in upskilling are FÁS and Skillnets. Through the One Step Up Programme FÁS has supported training interventions targeted at people in employment. The budget in 2005 for this programme was €8 million and this has increased over the last three years to €43 million in 2008. The programme aims to encourage employees to increase their competency levels and promote an ethos of lifelong learning in the workplace. It also aims to enable employees to cope with ongoing change in work practices. Since its launch in September 2005 the programme has had a significant impact and is expected to provide training to approximately 31,000 people in the course of this year alone.

In addition, the Workplace Basic Education Fund was initiated by the Government in 2005. It is operated by FÁS. This fund targets workers with lower skills levels and particularly those with difficulties with literacy and numeracy issues. This year the fund will have an allocation of €3.11 million and is expected to support training for about 2,000 workers.

In addition, Skillnets supports networks of enterprises to engage in training under the Networks Training Programme. These are led and managed by representatives of participating enterprises and have created and delivered training programmes for a range of industry and service sectors. This programme was piloted in 1999 and following its success it was decided in 2005 to place it on a more permanent basis.

Skillnets has to date supported over 10,000 Irish enterprises, involved in over 150 networks, in improving the range, scope and quality of training available. More than 50,000 workers have benefited. This year my Department, through the National Training Fund will invest in excess of €26 million in the programme. This will allow training to be provided to approximately 48,000 people.

Enterprise Ireland also provides support to employers wishing to improve their own skills and competencies or those of their workers. They achieve this by creating capability in companies in three ways:

World class group management development programmes

Connecting client company executives with world class expertise in the form of mentors and international advisors

Direct investment in management development and training as part of a client company development plan

Enterprise Ireland evaluates their programmes on a yearly basis in accordance with their clients needs. This year they expect to support approximately 525 people on their training/education programmes at a total public cost of €6.7 million.

To oversee the effective co-ordination and management of the various training programmes, my Department convenes an Upskilling Co-ordination Group. This brings together representatives of FÁS, Skillnets, Enterprise Ireland and the County Enterprise Boards with the purpose of ensuring that the impact realised from the State's increased investments in this area is maximized.

In addition I am aware that the Department of Education and Science also supports employees upskilling requirements through the Back to Education Initiative (BTEI). BTEI students can also avail themselves of childcare and educational guidance services of Vocational Education Committees. The BTEI was first introduced in 2002. Reports from the VECs testify to its success.