Written answers

Wednesday, 8 December 2021

Department of Education and Skills

Further and Higher Education

Photo of Rose Conway-WalshRose Conway-Walsh (Mayo, Sinn Fein)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

109. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the percentage of the 4,550 retrofit and nearly zero energy building standard places to be provided by the end of 2022 that will be one, two, three and four-day courses, respectively; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [60625/21]

Photo of Rose Conway-WalshRose Conway-Walsh (Mayo, Sinn Fein)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

110. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the anticipated opening date for the enrolment for the three additional retrofit centres of excellence in counties Cork, Limerick, Clare, Mayo, Sligo and Leitrim; the location and anticipated enrolment capacity in each centre; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [60626/21]

Photo of Rose Conway-WalshRose Conway-Walsh (Mayo, Sinn Fein)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

111. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills further to Parliamentary Question Nos. 671 and 672 of 2 November 2021, if he will provide a list of the 50 plus green skills and sustainability programmes already running across the tertiary sector aimed at construction professionals in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [60627/21]

Photo of Rose Conway-WalshRose Conway-Walsh (Mayo, Sinn Fein)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

113. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the expenditure under the green skills action programme in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [60629/21]

Photo of Simon HarrisSimon Harris (Wicklow, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

I propose to take Questions Nos. 109 to 111, inclusive, and 113 together.

Growth in education and training provision in green skills and sustainability is ongoing across the Tertiary Education sector. A range of options are available from short courses targeted at awareness building, upskilling and reskilling programmes to full and part-time academic and vocational programmes. The curricula of many other programmes will also include elements and modules targeted to green skills and sustainability components.

In the further education and training sector, short courses are targeted at upskilling and increasing knowledge awareness for existing professionals. SOLAS is working to develop a strategy to support the Climate Action Plan and associated skills training at further education level. SOLAS’s strategy on green skills is in development and they are actively engaging across a very broad range of internal, external and industry stakeholders to ensure tangible and appropriate FET responses are devised. Expenditure under the Green Skills Action Programme is not available as the programme has not been approved. However the National Recovery and Resilience Plan 2021 committed €29M to the programme to include NZEB & Retrofit and €10M to Green Skills Modules.

Near Zero Energy Buildings (NZEB) training will continued to be delivered in short courses ranging from 1 – 4 Days to provide upskilling opportunities for the existing built environment workforce in for example in:

- NZEB Fundamentals

- Passive House & Airtightness-Mechanical Ventilation with Heat Recovery

- Continuous Mechanical Extract Ventilation

- Intermittent Extract Ventilation

- Installation of ducts, plenums and diffusers

- Intake and Exhaust duct insulation and sealing

Longer training programmes 1 – 3 weeks will be offered to existing skilled, semi-skilled workers, construction professionals and new entrants to the construction/retrofitting sector in retrofitting external cladding, attic & wall insulation along with other areas that will be identified by the Training providers.

The WWETB National NZEB Training Centre is the first facility in Europe to offer a suite of trade-specific NZEB courses. On-site retrofit programmes are currently provided in Waterford Wexford ETB, Laois Offaly ETB and Mount Lucas National Construction Training Centre. These training courses introduce participants to the legislative concepts required to meet the standards of NZEB in a flexible, responsive environment.

Currently, there are 648 students enrolled on NZEB and retrofitting programmes across the three centres. The majority of courses are three days in duration and are validated by City and Guilds. WWETB is continuing to develop their offering to meet the needs of the sector and are developing a blended model with 2 days online and one day in the training centre. They have also commissioned the development of a pilot VR programme to support NZEB/retrofit training which is expected to be operational by year end.

The percentage breakdown of the 4,550 retrofit and NZEB standard places to be provided by the end of 2022 will be determined by the uptake in programmes by existing construction professionals and the number of participants upskilling for the construction/retrofitting sector. It is not possible to project the percentages availing of these opportunities at this time.

A further three Centres of Excellence are being established in the Cork, Limerick Clare and Mayo Sligo Leitrim ETBs. The establishment of the centres has been delayed due to COVID-19 impacts on the ETBs and are now due to be in place by Q4 2022. The location for each of the new Centres are:-

- Cork ETB: Fermoy, Co. Cork

- MSLETB: Collooney, Co. Sligo

- LCETB: TBC

SOLAS is actively engaging with the Education and Training Boards to finalise overall FET targets for ETBs under the 2022 Further Education and Training business planning process. The allocation of places for NZEB and retrofitting programmes as outlined in Budget 2022 are under discussion as part of that process.

In the higher education sector, in addition to core education delivery, funding is provided under Springboard and the Human Capital Initiative to incentivise the delivery of programmes which support the development of professionals in areas such as building analysis and climate adaptation; sustainable building technology and retrofit, conservation and sustainability. Two innovation projects have commenced under the Human Capital Initiative (Pillar 3). These projects are directly supporting increased availability of skills development in the construction sector through the Digital Academy for Sustainable Built Environment (DASBE) in Limerick IT and the REEdl project in IT Tralee which is based on a world leading model of self-directed, project centric learning using Virtual Reality and Augmented reality (VR/AR) in supporting the education of student engineers along with access to world class research centres. Under Springboard+ 2021/22, there are 17 courses available in green skills and sustainability such as Near Zero Energy Building (NZEB), Bio-Energy, Clean Technologies and Electric Vehicle Technology.

Please see details of all the green skill and sustainability programmes running across the Tertiary Education system contained in attachment 1.

Skillnet Ireland also supports the construction sector through two national Construction-specific Skillnet training networks, as well as through multiple regional Skillnet training networks that assist construction businesses located in their respective regions. CIF and Skillnet Ireland, launched the Construction Professionals Skillnet in January 2020 to provide customised learning and development solutions to meet the specific professional learning needs of the construction industry. Programmes are currently available in areas such as Communications, Project Management, Sustainable Construction, Contracts and legal responsibilities. The Construction IT Alliance (CitA) Skillnet also facilitates the advancement of construction firms through digitalisation and the development of skillsets that enable businesses to adopt new and emerging information and communications technologies. The network primarily supports architecture, engineering, construction, and operations enterprises within the construction sector and has provided programmes such as Advanced BIM Management and a Higher Diploma in BIM over the last 12 months.

Comments

No comments

Log in or join to post a public comment.