Further Education - Ireland

Ger Melia National Manager for Industry and International Links Further Education Sector Department of Education and Science June 2007 gmelia@indigo.ie Further Education - Ireland

WORK PLACEMENTS INTERNATIONAL CONTEXT NATIONAL CONTEXT • National Skills Strategy • DES/FE Mission • National Qualification Framework • Further Education Programmes/Initiatives

Further Education - Ireland Provide high-quality education which will: Enable individuals to achieve their full potential and to participate fully as members of society Contribute to Ireland’s social, cultural and economic development.

FE LEARNERS • Early school leavers • Second-chance learners (left school without qualifications) • Unemployed people and other recipients of welfare benefits • Learners who require a stepping stone to industry or to third level

INTERNATIONAL • EU • Lisbon Agenda • Copenhagen Declaration • DGVET Conferences • Munich (ECVET/EQF) • OECD

NATIONAL - Education • Education Act 1998 • Qualifications Education and training 1999 • 2001 – NQAI/HETAC/FETAC established • 2003 – NQAI launched the National qualifications framework (10 levels) • White Paper on Adult Education (2000) • Vocational Education (Amendment) Act 2001 • Education for Persons with SN (2004 Act) • Disability Act (2005)

NATIONAL – Labour/S.W. • Unemployment - 4% • 72% of long term unemployed < upper secondary • 36,000 are long term unemployed ____________________________________________ • 2002 - Taskforce on Lifelong Learning • 2004 - Workplace Strategy • 2006 - Towards 2016 2007 - Tomorrow’s Skills - Towards a National Skills Strategy – 5th of 5 main reports - EGFSN

FE ISSUES • FE Status and No Capital Funding • Complexity/Compartmentalisation • Funding for Learners • Create Formal Education/Industry Links • Respond to National Skills Strategy • Funding • Up-skill/re-skill mature learners (LLL) • Respond to migrants and low skilled learners

Qualifications Framework

FRAMEWORK - LEVELS 1-6 • Providers • Vocational Education Committees (33) - FE • FÁS – National Training/Employment Authority • Fáilte Ireland (Tourism Training) • Teagasc (Agricultural Training) • Bord Iascaigh Mhara (Fisheries Training) • Institutes of Technology and Universities • Awarding Body - FETAC

Further /Adult Education Full Time Programmes • Youthreach – 3,200 students (ages 15 -20) • Early school leavers • Senior Traveller Training – 1,000 (15+) • Second chance education mainly for Travellers • VTOS – 5,639 (21+ and 6 months unemployed) Social a programme for social welfare recipients • Post-Leaving Certificate Courses – 30,000+ (17+) • Programme for students at FETAC levels 5 and 6

Adult and Further Education Provision – Part time Adult Literacy – (35,000) - FETAC level 1-3 Adults with literacy and numeracy needs 10,000 are English language learners Community Education – 100,000 Adults who wish to re-enter education in a non-formal setting Back to Education Initiative – 7,000 places FETAC levels 3-5 (flexible modular basis)

Co-Funding Measures co-funded by European Structural Fund and DES from 2007-2013: • BTEI • Adult Literacy • Youthreach • Travellers Notes: Disability funding Recommendations re low skills in skills strategy

WORK PLACEMENTS • National • Mandatory at NQF level 5 and 6 – Focused on Skills • Optional at level 4 • < level 4 – Focus - Personal Development/Literacy • Usually 2 weeks p.a. (exception – childcare) • Transnational • FETAC Level 6 - 17 weeks (DES/ESF funded) • Leargas – National Agency (LLL Programme)

Work Placements in Ireland Level 5 and 6* (DES Funded) • Until 2000 – Level 5 and 6 received ESF funding at levels 5 and 6 • Organised by local providers (VEC) • Usually organised with local employers • FETAC Minor award • Linked to Full award • DES funds programme that leads to full award Note: Levels 5and 6 (NQF) are equivalent to 4 and 5(EQF).

Transnational Work Placements DES Initiative (1997-2003) • National Management (DES initiative) • National Guidelines/contracts/insurance • National Support Office • National In-service • Strategic Advice/Recommendations to DES • Strategic links to providers, industry, international • Regional/Local Co-ordination/Implementation Funded through National Agency

PLC • Industry Linked – Levels 5-6 • Business and secretarial skills • Computer Studies • Art, Craft and design • Childcare and Community Care • Tourism, hotel and catering • Horticulture

Structure of PLC Programme • Vocational Studies – 50-60% • General Studies – 20-30% • Preparation for work/work experience - 20-30% • Must include - 40 hours of work dedicated to training in ICT Providers demonstrate local/national need for the training discipline 90% pf participants progress to FE/ HE/ Training or employment

Profile of PLC Learner • 30,000 PLC students • 50% over 21 years • 20% over 30 years • Directly from post-primary schools or • Mature students on second chance education

ISSUES – Practical Training 1/2 • Optimise Learning experience • Relevant Specific and Generic skills • Prepare/plan/implement/monitor/support/assess/award • Structures and practices to support the achievement of national skills strategy and EU aims • Recognition for Learning (ECVET, EQF, NQF) • Source and Destination of Funding • Resource Intensive Activity • Work Experience Models

ISSUES – Practical Training 2/2 • Work Shadow/Work Simulation/Experience • Practical Classes v Work Experience • % of Time Allocated to Work Experience • Assuring the Quality of Placements • Research – Share Knowledge and Experience • Mutual Trust (Find Reliable Partners) • Memorandum of Understanding/ECVET • Examine Stated and Actual Curricula

Further Education - Ireland