Upskilling to meet local business needs

PLANS to offer training and education in skills relevant to local business needs are to be put in place by the end of the year.

The initiative by Vocational Education Committees and State training authority FÁS could be crucial in helping to re-skill thousands of workers made redundant in various industry sectors over the past couple of years.

Procedures are being finalised for each city and county VEC to work with local FÁS offices and other training agencies to identify the skills needs in their particular area. The idea is that VEC colleges and FÁS would then organise themselves or other agencies to make courses available for local workers, to meet the needs of local business or industries likely to set up in their region.

The Irish Vocational Education Association is representing the VECs in these discussions, with a view to help upskilling the country’s workforce.

“This development is timely in the context of the contracting economy, the down-scaling of output and the emergence of closures and job losses,” said IVEA general secretary Michael Moriarty.

“Part of the plan is to avoid duplication of training and education being offered in each area and to ensure what is on offer is suitable for employer needs,” he said.

The plan will involve input from government departments, employers body IBEC and local chambers of commerce.

Minister of State Sean Haughey, who is responsible for lifelong learning at the Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment, and the Department of Education and Science, addressed the issue at an IVEA conference on the challenges of delivering the National Skills Strategy yesterday.

A key government target is for nearly half of workers to have a third-level qualification and most of the remainder to have completed the Junior or Leaving Cert.

Mr Haughey said there must be continuing investment in the education and skills of our workforce if economic growth is to be sustained.

“We need to ensure our people have the necessary blend of education and skills to succeed as a knowledge-based economy. It is crucial we facilitate and motivate employees to increase their skill levels and qualifications and to stay abreast of technology and other developments,” he said.

FÁS and Skillnets will train about 55,000 people in employment this year, Mr Haughey said. The Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment is investing €77m in training programmes this year, up from €8m in 2004.