Marc Ó Cathasaigh (Waterford, Green Party)
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117. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills his plans to address shortages in skills and labour force for the green economy through further education places, CPD places and apprenticeships; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [1547/24]

Simon Harris (Wicklow, Fine Gael)
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Green skills are essential for achieving a low-carbon economy, and for maximising the social and economic benefits of the green transition. These skills are needed in key sectors including renewable energy and offshore wind, electric vehicles and nearly zero-energy buildings (NZEB)/retrofit.

In the area of offshore wind, my Department is working with key partners to identify skill requirements, through the establishment of an Expert Advisory Group made up of stakeholders from Government, agencies, further and higher education, research, and industry. My Department is also collaborating with Greentech Skillnet, who have undertaken a detailed offshore wind skills analysis report, funded by Skillnet Ireland. This will be launched by the end of January 2024, and will be followed by a skills action plan to address gaps and opportunities. More broadly in the area of renewable energy, Kerry ETB is the coordinating provider of the new Wind Turbine Maintenance Technician Apprenticeship, which launched in March 2022. Direct engagement with employers has ensured that this apprenticeship was developed to meet industry demand. Qualified Wind Turbine Maintenance Technicians are in high demand. This is the first apprenticeship to provide the range of knowledge, skills, and competencies needed for this role.

In November I launched another key initiative – a programme office for the development of a new national e-mobility capability centre by Longford-Westmeath ETB in Mullingar. When operational, the centre will train people to repair the full range of electric vehicles, from cars to bikes, scooters, trucks, buses and vans. Electric vehicle skills are also being incorporated into the curricula of apprenticeships in the motor family of trades as they go through revalidation.

A third key green skills initiative progressed by my Department is for NZEB and retrofit. A national network of six NZEB Centres of Excellence is now operated by ETBs. These centres provide training and certification for learners wishing to upskill and reskill. There has been significant interest in this space, with enrolment figures for 2023 more than double those for 2022. Provisional end of year figures show there were 4,442 enrolments, compared to 2,034 in 2022. NZEB/Retrofit skills are also being incorporated into the curricula of relevant construction apprenticeships through the revalidation process.

In addition to these key sectors, my Department and its agencies are also working to develop skills for other areas of the green transition, such as through the Bioeconomy Action Plan, which aims to promote the sustainable use of biological resources, and the Biodiversity Action Plan, which aims to protect and enhance the natural environment. Moreover, the development of transversal or general green skills is also a priority, as these skills are required for all sectors and occupations in achieving a zero-carbon and sustainable green economy. To this end, SOLAS has developed a number of courses in sustainability awareness in the workplace, which are available to all learners, including a fully online course available on the eCollege platform.

Simon Harris (Wicklow, Fine Gael)
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Lifelong Learning is key to leveraging the opportunities and challenges of an ever-changing world of work. This focus is underpinned by the OECD’s Skills Strategy Review published on 9 May 2023, and by our commitments on same.

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, with an overall EU target of 60%.

Using current metrics, Ireland’s lifelong learning participation rates provide detail of the number of adults learners participating in education over the preceding four weeks. The annual average lifelong learning rate for workforce in Ireland was 12% in 2022. Figures for 2023 will available in Q2 2024.

The OECD Review highlighted the need for an increased focus on short and flexible skilling options for individuals entering or transitioning in the workforce; and clearer navigability of those options, in order to ensure continuous learning is enabled for all. Work is ongoing in both of these key areas.

My Department is dynamically progressing the reform of the National Skills Council (NCS) that is underpinned by the recommendations arising from the OECD review. This reform is two pronged and involves changes to the NSC’s mandate and membership to act as a platform for strategic engagement with Irish industry, enterprise and the main non-governmental stakeholders with a strong interest in skills and workforce development policy to take a high-level and broad perspective to skills challenges, policies and priorities.

This reform also involves the establishment of the High Level Skills Implementation Group (HLSIG) to support the work of the reformed NSC and ensure coordinated progress in implementing high priority OECD recommendations, including those relating to improving lifelong learning participation in and outside the workplace, across the whole-of- tertiary skills eco- system.

Meanwhile , my recent joint publication with Minister Foley of a Strategic Framework for Lifelong Guidance marks a milestone achievement that gives a policy framework to the continuum of guidance services throughout the lifecycle with the aim to help adults at all stages of their career and life to successfully navigate a labour market characterised by rapidly evolving skills needs. The Framework includes placing a focus on clarity of information provided about the rich offering of learning opportunities in Ireland.