Written answers
Thursday, 30 March 2023
Department of Education and Skills
Further and Higher Education
Brendan Smith (Cavan-Monaghan, Fianna Fail)
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87. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if additional places in further education will be provided in 2023 and 2024; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [15760/23]
Niall Collins (Limerick County, Fianna Fail)
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The number of places in Further Education and Training (FET) are due to increase in line with the 12 national system targets as set out in the Strategic Performance Agreements 2022-2024 and the national system report. In these 12 areas, there are projected increases of between 6.7% and 24%, with an overall aim of ensuring a minimum of a 10% increase from 2019 levels by the end of 2024.
In addition, some of the 12 areas contain specific targets to be met, such as in Green Skills and Retrofitting. The 2022 annual performance report is due to be published in April 2023.
Richard Bruton (Dublin Bay North, Fine Gael)
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88. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if he has data on the take-up of learning opportunities by people after their first job in higher education programmes, and further education programmes; and the initiatives planned to promote greater participation. [14945/23]
Simon Harris (Wicklow, Fine Gael)
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A core objective for my Department is to ensure that individuals and businesses are offered supports and pathways to quality education, upskilling and reskilling opportunities in order to address changes in to world of work including the digital revolution and climate transformation. Lifelong Learning could not be more important as we leverage these alterations in how we live and work.Under the European Pillar of Social Rights Action Plan, we have defined our ambition of annual participation rate in Lifelong Learning of 64.2% of all adults by 2030. Ireland’s 2017 rate was 53.9%.
Recent data on lifelong learning was published by the SLMRU in 2022 (SOLAS | Skills and Labour Market Research Unit | Research)It shows that 70% of those participating in Lifelong Learning Opportunities had a third level qualification at NFQ level 6 to 10, a total of 238,000 people.
The OECD Skills Strategy ran through 2022 and the early months of 2023, and has undertaken a comprehensive review of the National Skills Strategy and approach. Clear areas of focus emerging include increased focus on short, flexible and blended skilling options for individuals entering or transitioning in the workforce; and progressing ease of navigability through options for skilling and ensuring individualised, continuous learning journeys are encouraged and enabled for all.
Initiatives such as Skills to Compete, Springboard+, and eCollege, as well as ongoing work in relation to Microcredentials, Recognition of Prior Learning, Workforce Development, and cohering careers and skills information will all assist in embedding this culture.
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