Written answers

Thursday, 22 September 2011

Department of Education and Skills

Jobs Initiative

4:00 pm

Photo of Bernard DurkanBernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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Question 124: To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the total number of training places with a likelihood of leading to employment so far created under the schemes operated by him; the extent to which this is in line with projections and requirements; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [25603/11]

Photo of Ciarán CannonCiarán Cannon (Galway East, Fine Gael)
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My Department is delivering the majority of the additional training, education and work experience places (15,900) for the unemployed contained in the Jobs Initiative which was announced in May 2011 through the following programmes: * 6,000 places on FÁS Specific Skills Training Courses * 3,000 places on the Back to Education Initiative (FE)* 1,000 places on Post Leaving Certificate Courses (FE)* 5,900 places on the Springboard Initiative (HE)

In addition, 5,000 places are being made available through the National Internship Programme (JobBridge) which is being managed by the Department of Social Protection.

The Forfás Review of Labour Market Programmes published in February 2010 found that the most effective programmes for the unemployed were the Specific Skills Training programmes.

Springboard is a new higher education Fund which is being rolled out for the first time in 2011. It will provide free part-time higher education courses for unemployed people in areas of current and future skills needs as identified by the Expert Group on Future Skills Needs.

My Department is now funding the provision of over 116,000 training places this year for the unemployed through FÁS, Skillnets and the Labour Market Activation Fund. (The Labour Market Activation Fund which was introduced in 2010, aims to stimulate innovation in the provision of training and activation measures for jobseekers seeking to up-skill and get back into work).

In addition, there are now 172,000 places available in the Further Education Sector and 162,000 places available in the Higher Education Sector which the unemployed may also access.

Significant progress has already been made towards meeting the objectives set out in the National Skills Strategy for the period to 2020. A priority for me as Minister for Training and Skills is to ensure the delivery of high quality training, education and activation services to the priority cohorts of the unemployed. The establishment of SOLAS will build on the respective strengths of the Further Education and Training sectors. I expect that SOLAS will ensure the provision of high quality further education and training programmes that will be responsive to the needs of learners, jobseekers and business.

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