Written answers
Wednesday, 21 April 2021
Department of Education and Skills
Regional Action Plan for Jobs
Alan Dillon (Mayo, Fine Gael)
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1286. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the status of a western regional skills forum to determine the current and future needs of employers in relation to education, skills and recruitment in the west; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18655/21]
Simon Harris (Wicklow, Fine Gael)
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A network of nine Regional Skills Fora (RSF) was established in 2017 under the National Skills Strategy 2016-2025. Along with the National Skills Council (NSC), the Regional Skills Fora constitute the central skills structures for driving forward skills policies and responses which seek to be based on partnership, rooted in evidence, agile and effective.
The Fora work to foster stronger links between enterprise and the education and training sector, working together to meet emerging skills needs of the region.
Each forum has a nominated Chairperson (from an education and training provider, state agency or enterprise), who acts in a voluntary capacity, and a Manager, tasked with managing activities of the Forum and driving forward a partnership approach in identifying and meeting regional skills needs. Each forum meets on average 4-5 times annually.
As with the other Fora, the West RSF comprises representatives from enterprise, education and training providers, and state agencies, which are set out in the following table.
Enterprise | Education & Training Providers | State Agencies |
|---|---|---|
| Globalization Partners | Galway Roscommon ETB | Enterprise Ireland |
| ICE Group | GMIT | Western Development Commission |
| Compustaff | Mayo Sligo Leitrim ETB | Údarás Na Gaeltachta |
| Irish Wood & Furniture Manufacturing Network | NUI Galway | Roscommon LEO |
| Anecto | Galway Executive Skillnet | Mayo LEO |
| Kilcoyne Tree Surgery | Innovation Technology AtlanTec Gateway (ITAG) Skillnet | Galway LEO |
| Channel Mechanics | Fáilte Ireland | |
| Homecare Medical | IDA |
The West RSF estimates that it reaches approximately 200-250 companies per year through events, and has direct engagement with a smaller subset of companies. Approximately 700 employees of companies and education providers are reached regularly with the West RSF online newsletter.
The West RSF also has two industry-led subgroups, Sales Professionals Network and Manufacturing Excellence. Ongoing West RSF initiatives to work with employers, to help determine their current and future needs in the region, are set out in the following table, by sector.
| Manufacturing | A Manufacturing Excellence Skills working group was established during 2020 to collaborate in identifying and resolving skills gaps for the manufacturing sector. This group, comprising approximately 15 manufacturers and education providers, has met regularly since April 2020, resulting in the development of new third level courses including automation and robotics. |
|---|---|
| Hospitality | Currently in dialogue with the local Irish Hotels Federation representative to determine the current and future skills needs of hospitality employers in the West. |
| Sales | The Regional Skills West Sales Professionals Network continues to meet during 2021, examining what further skills gaps remain after the successful launch of new industry led courses in 2019/20 (including Sales Apprenticeship, Diploma in Inside Sales, Founder Sales). |
| Food & Beverage | The Forum will join the Educational Sub-committee of the BIA Innovator Campus when it opens later this year to support the development of skills solutions for food & beverage micro-enterprises and SMEs in the West. |
| Wood & Furniture Manufacturing | Continued to engage with the Irish Wood & Furniture Manufacturing Network during 2020, attending weekly online sessions and hosting online events to support network members in dealing with COVID-19 challenges and upskilling. During 2021, the Forum is engaging with the newly appointed Enterprise Ireland funded Cluster Manager for the network. |
| Film/Media | The Forum is in the early stages of establishing a screen skills industry working group for the West. As a first step, work is advanced on the development of a new industry led Irish language screen subtitling course. |
During March 2021, the West RSF issued detailed letters of support for over 65 industry-relevant course proposals submitted by three education providers (GMIT, NUI Galway and Galway Business School) to be considered for Springboard 2021+ funding. Information on regional skills needs was also shared with these providers to aid the course development.
The West RSF has made several changes in response to Covid-19 to help determine the current and future needs of employers. The frequency of forum meetings has increased to facilitate enhanced co-ordination amongst education providers, state stakeholders and businesses to respond to the challenge. The West RSF has held a series of webinars in partnership with local industry, to highlight free and subsidised education options for businesses and their employees.Additional webinars from experts on digital marketing and online sales were hosted by the Forum and partners to directly support businesses.Marketing materials specific to the region, outlining how the West RSF could support companies experiencing skills issues due to Covid-19, were designed and disseminated during 2020.In February 2021, the West RSF partnered with Grow Remote and three local Skillnets to offer a remote work seminar ‘Remote West Works’ to over 100 participants.
While recruitment is not a direct part of the mandate, the West RSF supports careers-related events. In February 2021, the Forum collaborated with businesses and education providers in the West to hold a sales careers event online, targeted towards people interested to start a career in sales, attracting 80 attendees.
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