SOLAS Opens Public Consultation to inform the development of the Further Education and Training Strategy (2025-2029)

SOLAS/31.01.2025

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

As part of their strategy development process, SOLAS is engaging in a public consultation to help develop a strategy and vision for the next five years, which will deliver an ambitious plan to support individuals, communities and enterprise to reach their full potential through lifelong learning and workforce transformation.

The public consultation opens today (31.01.2025) and can be accessed here.

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 increased by 25 per cent 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, to help set out a clear vision for future growth, transformation and development. These include representatives from enterprise, learners, other Government Departments and agencies, second level education providers and representative groups.

Commenting on the public consultation the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science James Lawless TD said:

“Important progress was achieved during the lifetime of the second FET strategy, including how FET is delivered in our ETBs, widening participation to those most marginalised in our communities, and ensuring that FET becomes a valuable and recognised learning pathway in Ireland.

“We are now at a place where we have a more strategic, visible, accessible and integrated FET sector delivered in every county across the country by the sixteen ETBs. Our focus is on how we can sustain this momentum, grow the FET footprint further and shape the strategy for FET over the next 5 years – ensuring that learners remain at the heart of everything we do.

“Under the new Programme for Government, we have committed to ongoing investment in further education, which is core to our ambition of delivering sustainable economic growth at both a regional and national level. Fair and equal access to quality education regardless of socio-economic status, ability or geographical location is also a priority. The Government will ensure that this investment in the sector offers opportunity to everyone, while remaining agile to address the key skill challenges faced by our country, as well as new and emerging technologies and work practices.

“SOLAS’ Corporate Plan 2024–2026, which sets out SOLAS’ high-level strategic objectives, will guide the work of the organisation over the coming years, as it plays a pivotal role in driving and supporting the successful delivery of the upcoming FET Strategy.”

Andrew Brownlee, CEO of SOLAS said:

“With one-in-ten adults now impacted in some way by the learning supported by SOLAS, our ambition is to grow this further to half-a-million people by 2026. FET is for everyone, and we want to hear from the Irish public on what the future of FET should look like.

“SOLAS, along with our key partners, including the 16 ETBs, has been on an incredible transformation journey over the last five years. Whilst we have achieved a great deal, it is important that we continue to improve how we deliver FET, so that it can help Ireland to become a more inclusive society.

“We also want to ensure that FET can respond to the rapidly evolving skills environment and play a key role in the delivery of workforce transformation, that we have access to education for all, and that FET is recognised as an essential piece of national infrastructure in the same way that housing, transport or health is valued.”

Submissions should be emailed to fetstrategy@solas.ie on or before 5pm on Friday, 21st February 2024.

The SOLAS Corporate Plan 2024–2026 is available here.