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Moving on with investments in training and upskilling, for career change, personal development and green skills

The following are a summary of some of the key initiatives taking place during the European year of skills, particularly Boosting apprenticeships in sectors with high skill shortages:

During 2023, the National Apprenticeship Office, set up in 2022, became well established, further strengthening the partnership between the enterprise and education communities. This office acts as a single point of contact for employers, apprentices and providers in accessing information and guidance on apprenticeship.

The National Apprenticeship Alliance continued to meet in 2023. This Alliance has an advisory role in developing the apprenticeship system, bringing together education providers, learners, industry partners and trade unions. 67 national apprenticeship programmes were running at the start of 2023, and three new ones were introduced:

·       SportsTurf Management is a 2-year programme leading to a Level 6 award on the Irish National Framework of Qualifications;

·       Two Civil Engineer Technician programmes, one at level 6 (2 year duration) and the other at level 7 (3 year duration, were established in June.

One More Job was launched in April 2023 by the Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science ministry. It aims to encourage small employers to create ‘one more job’ via apprenticeship. It includes free online mentoring for employers new to training apprentices, grants towards training costs and guidance from the One More Job team (based in the National Apprenticeship Office) during the first year of training. 

A first national survey of apprenticeship employers was conducted by the National Apprenticeship Office, with a strong response from over 2 500 employers covering the full range of the employer community. The survey findings show that most employers of apprentices are micro-enterprises, with only 7% being large employers (over 250 employees). A remarkable 94% of employers employ fewer than 10 apprentices, with 42% having only one apprentice and the remaining 52% employing 2-9 apprentices. For small employers, additional financial support is more important, while larger employers prioritise business growth and greater relevance of training.

The Workplace Champions Initiative was launched by the National Apprenticeship Office on 31 May. These awards recognise and celebrate all those apprenticeship champions in the workplace who show commitment to the development and success of apprentices and apprenticeships as a whole.

A new bursary managed by National Apprenticeship Office was launched in 2023, to support learners from underrepresented groups who wish to access apprenticeships. The bursary is now up and running. Successful applicants on ‘access to apprenticeship’ courses are eligible to receive up to EUR 3 000 each to help with travel, accommodation and other costs associated with participation in the course.

Skills to Advance is a focused upskilling initiative for enterprises and employees, run through Education and Training Boards and coordinated through SOLAS. In 2023, Skills to Advance created a new process to develop and validate micro qualifications in key areas like green skills, digital business and manufacturing.

Retrofitting. The 5thand 6th Centres of Excellence for Nearly zero-emission building (NZEB)/retrofitting were launched in 2023 to showcase the latest technologies and methods in the field. Planning a Modern Methods of Construction Demonstration Park began, led by the FET sector through SOLAS and the Laois/Offaly Education and Training Board. This aims to support the Irish Government’s commitment to high-quality, affordable homes for all citizens.

Green Skills. The Irish FET (VET) sector plays a crucial role in the green transformation of the economy and society, delivering the requisite skills to guarantee a greener future for all. The online module ‘Energy and you: Reduce your Use’ was made available in 2023 via eCollege, the national online learning service for further education and training. New Level 4 and Level 5 micro qualifications in environmental sustainability awareness were also developed.

READ MORE

Apprenticeships in Ireland,

One More Job

Skills to Advance

Environmental Sustainability in the Workplace brochure

eCollege,

New Upskilling Programmes - Green Skills

Please cite this document as: ReferNet Ireland; Cedefop (2023). Ireland: addressing skill needs in the European Year of Skills. National news on VET.

The approval of a new bill brings significant changes to the construction sector's skills, knowledge, and safety standards. These changes mean that construction workers will now have to hold a licence and will renew these licences periodically, keeping their skills and training up to date. This continuous learning approach replaces the concept of a qualification certificate issued for life.

The Irish government approved the Construction Safety Licensing Bill in the summer of 2023, currently under development. This new regulation brings in skills-based assessments and a modern licensing model for the construction sector. The current accreditation model will also be reformed to provide a better licensing system.

Main objectives and measures

The main purpose of this legislation is to develop a modern and fit-for-purpose system that will raise safety awareness and minimise accidents and injuries on site, ensuring that workers operate machinery and carry out tasks in a safe and competent manner, making the industry more attractive to future workers.

All relevant construction site personnel will be required to undergo periodic health and safety training, enabling them to work on-site without posing a risk to themselves or others. Appropriate monitoring and inspection will be implemented to verify compliance, which the previous certification arrangements did not consider.

Desired effects

The licensing model will help meet the workforce requirements, skills and objectives outlined in Government strategies, including the Housing for All Strategy and the National Development Plan.

It is expected to create awareness of the scale and diversity of opportunities in the construction sector, which might encourage more women to participate in roles outside the traditional definition of construction workers. Currently, only 9.3% of women are employed out of a total of around 167,300 people working in the Irish construction sector.

The new legislation also gives recognition to people on construction sites who possess relevant construction skills but are not qualified apprentices or professionals. They will be able to obtain a licence that acknowledges their skills and their activities on-site.

Main features

The main features of the Construction Safety Licence Bill are:

·       The introduction of safety awareness requirements for workers in the construction sector;

·       The establishment of a licensing model for workers based on a competence assessment;

·       The introduction of skills-based assessments;

·       The establishment of a licensing regime for tutors;

·       The establishment of an approval requirement for training organisations conducting certain activities;

·       Legal implications for failure to hold the appropriate licence.

The development of this licensing model is an important step in the continued response to the needs of the construction sector.

 Read More

gov.ie - General Scheme of the Construction Safety Licensing Bill 2022 (www.gov.ie)

gov.ie - Housing for All - a New Housing Plan for Ireland (www.gov.ie)

gov.ie - Government launches the renewed National Development Plan 2021-2030 (www.gov.ie)

 Please cite this document as: Ireland: Responding to skills and workforce needs in the construction sector, ReferNet Ireland; Cedefop (2023).

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Since the Coronavirus crisis unfolded the Further Education and Training (FET) sector[1] (where most VET in Ireland occurs) has been identifying good practice, issues and solutions to ensure the continuation of teaching and learning and to support the public health service. In just a couple of weeks the sector has deployed new and alternative initiatives to respond to the radically changed environment imposed on it by the Coronavirus pandemic.

Approaches to supporting the continuation of teaching & learning include the fast-tracking of professional development in Technology Enhanced Learning and promotion of digital champions to build capacity for online learning. There have been significant increases in the use of digital platforms including Microsoft Teams, Moodle, web portals etc. Teaching staff are maintaining contact with the most vulnerable groups such as Youthreach[2], literacy and community education provision to mitigate against drop-out. Devices have been loaned to learners to facilitate continued access to course content which has been moved online. A new Digital Library serves as an online resource for FET providers and their learners. Contingency plans for course assessment have been developed, which provide for alternative assessment methods and support as many learners as possible to complete their course.

eCollege (an online learning service) has been made available free of charge as a support to learners who have been impacted by the current containment measures. The aim is to support registered FET learners to augment their learning as well as individuals who have recently become unemployed or had their hours reduced and who wish to upskill or reskill.

An apprenticeship working group for COVID – 19 has been established by the Irish Government and is addressing: continuity of provision and learning, potential support for redundant apprentices and scenario planning for how to respond when FET facilities can re-open.

The Skills and Labour Market Research Unit compiled a profile of the occupations considered at risk due to the ongoing issues related to Covid-19. By understanding the profile of those employed in these occupations FET can better understand the nature of the measures that need to be put in place including income supports and future reskilling requirements.

FET providers have also devised innovative solutions to support the public health service in their localities, examples include: development of an ‘Infection Prevention and Control’ module, the production of face masks for the hospital and nursing sectors using FET providers’ 3D printers, industrial kitchens used to supply meals for doctors and nurses who have been allocated accommodation outside of their own homes for the duration of the COVID – 19 crisis, the donation of Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) to hospitals and the provision of training in PPE.

[1] Public Further Education and Training is provided by Education and Training Boards (supported by Education and Training Boards Ireland), JMB/ACCS (the Joint Further Education Representative Body, a representative body for Further Education providers in the Community and Comprehensive and Secondary Voluntary schools sectors) and SOLAS

[2] The Youthreach programme provides two years integrated education, training and work experience for unemployed early school leavers without any qualifications or vocational training who are between 15 and 20 years of age.