VET in Ireland 3

• TVET Programmes - institutional and workplace learning

Ensuring the relevance of TVET programmes

Several structures and measures

Social Partnership agreements – current agreement ‘Towards 2016’ has an extended section on education and training across an individual’s lifecycle. Social Partnership came to an end in 2010 -after 23 years

Involvement of the social partners at all national and local levels

Labour market research and guidance carried out / provided by range of national agencies

Labour market and VET programme reviews

Main VET providers Upper secondary schools Further and adult education and training

centres FÁS regional training centres + sub-contracted

private, statutory and community providers Sectoral training under other government

departments Institutes of Technology/Universities Commercial providers Professional bodies Skillsnets – employer-led training networks

supported by FÁS Enterprises

Initial professional development of teachers / trainers / lecturers

Serious challenges in the VET sector outside of schools Qualifications requirements vary or are non-existent Many lack pedagogical training or need upskilling A recent report recommends :

all VET teachers & trainers should have some pedagogical training

as a longer-term goal, pedagogical training should be offered to supervisors of VET students (e.g. apprentices, trainees) in companies

convergence in qualification requirement for teaching in different sectors of the VET system be encouraged - .

Workplace training Substantial element of programmes such as apprenticeship,

traineeship, specific skills training and some programmes in IoTs

 VET in VECs provides only limited workplace training - Recent OECD report called for ‘extensive use of workplace

training in all VET programmes building on the existing types of provision’.

Workplace training Far from systematic in many courses Employers less willing . . . ‘Curriculum’ - FETAC workplace learning module &

associated standards developed through consultation with trainers & employers

Workplace mentors / coaches - formal training rare Apprenticeships & traineeships - more structured Apprenticeship training and traineeships are covered by

national agreements between .training side & .social partners In apprenticeships the employer is or nominates, a qualified

craftsperson as workplace mentor/assessor Traineeships - skills coach training for experienced

enterprise employees

Workplace training Institution-industry links have become much

more integral to HE individual enterprises maintain close links

with departments / faculties – courses, upskilling . . .

career guidance personnel maintain mutual communication with industry

Interface tends to be a local institutional issue - dependent on institution’s governance structures and / or contact networks

Access, transfer & progression NFQ makes it possible for a person with a vocational

qualification to progress to gain a qualification to become a member of a profession, such as a primary degree

In practice, the person’s progression will depend on acceptance on such a course - possible challenges due to:

limited inter-institutional co-operation structural challenges competition for HE places lack of a system for RPL and/or financial constraints

Increased levels of transfer & progression within HE by holders of tertiary-level Certificates or Diplomas on to degree level

In 2009 a Framework for the Progression of Craftspersons - a progression route from Advanced Certificate – Craft to a Level 7 degree programme / beyond - framework facilitated progression for 40 craftspersons to L 7 in electrical engineering Main obstacles were: lack of time & financial support; distance from

provider; failure to have prior work & learning experiences recognised A well-structured progression route - Higher Education Links Scheme

(HELS) - progression from Post-Leaving Certificate courses to HE via FETAC Level 5 & some Level 6 awards currently c.18% of applicants to HE hold a FETAC L5 or L6 major award

Examples