Niall Collins (Limerick County, Fianna Fail)
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97. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the budget allocation for expenditure on Springboard in each of the years 2011 to 2017; the allocation made for 2018; the number of persons enrolled in such courses in each such year; and the projections for the period to 2020 in tabular form. [47586/17]

Richard Bruton (Dublin Bay North, Fine Gael)
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Springboard+ which incorporates the ICT skills conversion programme, is a specific initiative which provides free part-time and full-time courses aimed at addressing the current skills needs of employers and supporting jobseekers to return to employment. 

Springboard+ courses are at Level 6 (Certificate) to Level 9 (Masters) on the National Framework of Qualifications (NFQ) and are delivered in public and private higher education providers around the country.  All Springboard+  courses are in areas of identified skills need.

To date over €144m has been allocated to Springboard+ providing for over 35,000 places.  Courses have been delivered in areas such as, ICT, Manufacturing which includes the biopharma sector, Construction, Entrepreneurship, Cross-Enterprise Skills, the Hospitality Sector and International Financial Services.  90% of courses (with the exception of entrepreneurship-based courses) have a work placement.

Springboard+ is managed by the Higher Education Authority (HEA) on behalf on my Department.  An evaluation of Springboard+ 2011-2016 published by the HEA in 2016 showed that:

80% of Springboard+ participants 2011-2015 are no longer on the live register

- Employment rates 3-6 months after graduation have increased from 37% in 2011 to 61% in 2014.

- ICT Conversion Graduates has the highest employment rates 3-6 months after graduation at 73% in 2014.

The attached file contains:

- The budget allocation and the number of participants enrolled in Springboard+ for the years 2011 to 2016

- The budget allocation and the proposed number of places for Springboard+ 2017 and Springboard+ 2018, and

- The estimated budget allocation and proposed number of places for Springboard+ 2019 and Springboard+ 2020.

Springboard+

*€30,438,000 has been allocated to Springboard+ 2018 providing for 7,471 places

Funding for 2018/19 to 2020/21 is dependent on budget allocations, and this may increase, with corresponding increase in places