Strategy Consultation 2025-2029

FET Strategy Public Consultation 2025-2029

SOLAS, the Further Education and Training (FET) Authority, commenced work in 2024 on the development of a new five-year strategy for the Further Education and Training sector in Ireland.

As part of this strategy development process, we are engaging in a public consultation to help develop a strategy and vision for the next five years, which will deliver an ambitious plan to power the potential of individuals, communities and enterprise through lifelong learning and workforce transformation.

A record number of over 400,000 Further Education and Training (FET) places were taken up in 2024 indicating significant growth in the learner base across the 16 Education and Training Boards (ETBs) which has expanded by a quarter since the end of 2022.

With the second national FET strategy Transforming Learning coming to its conclusion at the end of 2024, SOLAS, mandated by Government, has already begun a wide-ranging strategy consultation process with its partners in the Education and Training Boards and stakeholder groups including enterprise, learners, other Government Departments and agencies, second level education providers and representative groups to help set out a clear vision for future growth, transformation and development.

The public consultation is now open, and we want to hear from you!

Submissions are now invited from interested parties to assist SOLAS and the Department of Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science in setting out the strategic direction of Further Education and Training in Ireland up to the year 2029.

• The public consultation document (English version) can be accessed here

• The public consultation document (Irish version) can be accessed here

A message from our CEO

“We want you to tell us what the future of FET needs to look like. We want you to tell us how we can build on the success that we’ve seen over the last few years, make more people aware of the Further Education and Training opportunities that are out there, and how we can upskill to meet those challenges and skills needs of the future.” – Andrew Brownlee, CEO of SOLAS

Deadline for Submissions

Submissions should be emailed to fetstrategy@solas.ie on or before 5pm on Friday, 21st February 2025.