Vocational Education and Training in Ireland
Helen Keogh
Table of Contents Page
Q1. Overview 5
Q2. Education and training system in Ireland 6
Q3. The governance of the education and training system 7
Q4. Legislative framework 11
Q5. Entry to the VET system 12
Q6. Young learners 15
Q7. Other learners 18
Q8. Ensuring VET programmes are up to date 21
Q9. The institutional dimension 24
Q10. Workplace learning 26
Q11. Institution-workplace interface 27
Q12. Progression pathways 27
Q13. Impact 28
Q14. National supports systems for VET 30
Conclusion 31
Annexes
Annex 1 Labour market in Ireland 33
Annex 2 Structure of the national education and training system 37
Annex 3 Legislative framework for VET in Ireland 38
Annex 4 Measures to ensure the relevance of VET programmes 40
Annex 5 Main Providers of VET in Ireland 42
Annex 6 FAS Apprenticeship Code of Practice 44
Annex 7 National Framework of Qualifications 48
Annex 8 Proposed Governance in the VET System by end of 2012 49
Technical and Vocational Education and Training in Ireland
Q1. Overview
Ireland is a small, open, trade-dependent economy, increasingly based on the hi-tech and internationally traded services sectors. Its openness is reflected in the international mobility of its labour and capital. Beginning in the early 1990’s, unprecedented economic growth saw the level of Irish real GDP double in size over the course of a little more than a decade. Many reasons have been advanced for these developments[1]. However, the onset of the global financial crisis and a near total collapse in property and construction markets in the country in the second half of 2007 saw economic activity drop sharply in 2008. This was followed by a crisis in a financial sector seriously overexposed to the property market. The subsequent downturn in the economy saw output fall for the first time since 1983 and living standards returning to the levels of a decade before. The parallel downturn in the economies of Ireland’s major trading partners reduced external demand for the country’s exports. The wider global downturn and the euro zone financial crisis compounded the pressures on the Irish economy.
Parallel to the growth in the economy the labour market in Ireland had grown to close on full employment in 2004. However, the rapidly contracting economy and the sectoral decline in areas such as construction and related professions, including engineering and architecture, reversed this trend and unemployment has risen dramatically from the low of 2004 (4.4%) to 14.24% in February 2012. The number of long-term unemployed increased by more than a third in the twelve months up to June, 2011. Approximately eight of every ten of those now on the Live Register (of the unemployed) for more than 12 months are aged over 25. The outlook is for no immediate amelioration of the situation, with the forecast unemployment for 2013 standing at 13.7%[2] - see Annex 1 for detailed information on the labour force. See Annex 1 for information on the labour market in Ireland.
Parallel to the changes in the labour market Ireland also experienced significant demographic change in the period 2002 – 2012 arising from a steady inflow of migrant workers to meet the demands of an expanding labour market. Population figures for the period since 2002 show annual growth of around 2%. The first results of the Census 2011 show that Ireland’s population is growing strongly, primarily due to a high number of births. The preliminary total for the population enumerated on Census Night 10 April 2011 was 4,581,269 persons, compared with 4,239,848 persons in April 2006, an increase of 341,421 persons since 2006 or 8.1 per cent.[3]. Ireland continued to experience strong net inward migration for the first half of the latest intercensal period (2006 – 2011) followed by a switch to net outward migration over the second half resulting in an average annual inward migration rate of less than half that experienced in the period 2002-2006.
When it comes to the labour market skills stock of the population, the National Skills Strategy, launched in 2007, recommended that 500,000 individuals who do not have upper secondary (ISCED 3 and level 5 on National Framework of Qualifications) or equivalent qualifications move up one level on the National Framework of Qualifications (NFQ). Specifically, there is a need to upskill 70,000 persons from NFQ levels 1 & 2 to level 3 (ISCED 2), 260,000 up to levels 4 & 5 (ISCED 3) and 170,000 to levels 6 to 10 (ISCED 4 and above). Thus, a total of 500,000 individuals must be advanced at least one level on the NFQ by 2020.
The above figures highlight the huge challenges faced by the Irish authorities in endeavouring to get people back to work. Table 1.[4] provides an overview of the educational attainment of the labour force and illustrates the extent of the challenge faced by VET stakeholders in the context of the National Skills Strategy[5] to 2020.
Table 1. Educational attainment of the labour force the National Skills Strategy Target 2020
In November 2010, the Irish Government published a National Recovery plan, which aims to restore order to the public finances and to bring the budget deficit in line with the EU target of 3% of economic output by 2015. This involves a budget adjustment of €15 billion (through expenditure cuts and tax increases) over a four-year period. As part of recovery the Irish government received an €85bn international bailout in 2010. To date progress is being made in meeting budgetary targets, recapitalising the banks and introducing a job creation initiative. A GDP rate of 2.3% is forecast for 2013, up from a forecast of 0.9 for 2012 and growth will be driven by external demand as domestic demand will remain weak[6].
Q2. Education and training system in Ireland
Schooling is compulsory in Ireland from age 6 to 16. Primary education enrols children from age 4 - 6 to age 12 or 13. Secondary (post-primary) education includes a ‘junior’ (lower secondary - ISCED 2) and a ‘senior’ (upper secondary - ISCED 3) cycle. The general junior cycle takes three years to complete and leads to the Junior Certificate, achieved upon state examination typically at age 15 or 16. This is followed by an optional “Transition Year”, aiming to provide students with an opportunity to receive a wide range of educational inputs, soft skills and work experience. The senior cycle takes two years to complete and leads to the Leaving Certificate, achieved upon state examination, typically at age 17 or 18. Over 90% complete post-primary education[7]. The Irish education and training system is characterised by late vocational choice. A limited amount of VET takes place through the Leaving Certificate programme and out-of-school programmes for early school leavers. The vast majority of young learners make their first definite vocational choice on completion of the Leaving Certificate (ISCED 3) at age 17/18 when they proceed to higher education and training, or to non-tertiary further education and training (e.g. in a Post-Leaving Certificate course (ISCED 4), to an apprenticeship or other specific training (ISCED 5b)
Secondary/post-primary education is provided by a wide range of schools, viz., secondary, community, comprehensive, vocational schools and Gaelscoil[8]. While these schools are distinct in terms of ownership, governance arrangements and, in some cases, resources and student intake, with the passage of time and the expansion of the education system they all offer the same national curriculum leading to the same state examinations. Adult learning opportunities (general and VET, ISCED 2 – ISCED 6), available to those aged 16 and over, are provided on a full and part-time basis by a wide range of state, community, enterprise-based and commercial education and training providers.
Annex 2 provides a diagrammatic summary of the structure of the education and training system.
Q3. The governance of the education and training system[9]
The Minister for Education and Skills’ administrative agency is the Department of Education and Skills (DES). DES is the key government department with responsibility for the education and training system at all levels in Ireland. Other government departments (e.g. Agriculture, Food and the Marine, and Tourism), have responsibility for sectoral training. In January of 2012 the training role of FÁS, the National Training and Employment Authority, was transferred from the Department of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation to DES, a development welcomed by many stakeholders on the grounds that it has largely integrated responsibility for education and training under the same minister and has paved the way for greater integration of responsibilities and services at local and regional levels.
Many aspects of the administration of the Irish education system are centralised in the DES. An Education Bill in 1997 indicated the government's intention of establishing regional education councils as part of a move to decentralisation. However, a change of government in June of 1997 retained the centralised structure, which was enshrined in the Education Act of 1998. DES develops, implements and monitors education policy. In addition, DES inter alia sets the general regulations for the recognition of schools, exercises a controlling influence on school curriculum and assessment; establishes regulations for management, resourcing and staffing of schools, colleges and adult learning centres, and negotiates teachers' salary scales. Circular letters and ministerial statements are the regular means of interacting with schools and educational bodies. The Chief Inspector is the head of the Inspectorate supported by a Deputy Chief Inspector.
The only legally constituted local administration of post-primary education in Ireland is in the hand of the Vocational Education Committees (VECs)[10] under the Vocational Education Act, 1930. The VECs are statutory local education committees comprised of members form the local authorities and representatives of staff, the local community, special interest groups and other local statutory bodies. VECs have responsibility for vocational and technical education in their areas. Their remit extends to the local vocational schools and colleges, including further education colleges offering post-secondary non-tertiary VET. A Chief Executive Officer (CEO) is the principal administrative official of each VEC with overseeing powers for the schools and colleges in each local VEC scheme.
While almost all primary schools and the majority of post-primary schools are locally owned and managed, publicly-funded, schools have relatively limited autonomy especially in relation to curriculum and the pedagogical methods employed. However, following the passing of the country’s first comprehensive legislation covering schools, the Education Act (1998), a legal context was created for the operation of school boards of management. Boards of management are supported through guidance documentation, advice and training and through the work of the school principal who typically acts as secretary to the board.
As a move towards the devolution of some responsibilities the conduct of the lower and upper secondary public examinations was devolved to the State Examinations Commission in 2003. Earlier (1968) the establishment of the Higher Education Authority (HEA) the statutory planning and policy development body for higher education and research in Ireland, had devolved responsibility for the university sector. HEA[11] is now the funding authority for the universities, Institutes of Technology (since 2006) and a number of designated higher education institutions. The Institutes of Technology Act, 2006, began a structural reform process in the third-level education sector when it designated the Institutes of Technology (ITs) as institutions of higher education within the remit of the HEA. This has provided for greater autonomy for the Institutes and improved governance, and has facilitated the development of a strategic approach to higher education within a unified policy framework[12].
FÁS, the National Training (and Employment - to 2012) Authority, was established in 1988 with a remit for training and re-training; designated apprenticeships; and assistance to community groups. FÁS manages twenty regional training centres and, until 2010, sixty-two Employment Offices (which were transferred in 2011 to form part of the National Employment and Entitlements Service [NEES} of the Department of Social Protection). In 2009 the governance practices of FAS came under public scrutiny, leading to a review by the Comptroller and Auditor General of its internal control and governance. The subsequent report[13] found that the governance structure was consistent with its governing legislation and with the Code of Practice for the Governance of State Bodies. However, its failure to fully implement elements of its plan of control exposed it to a risk of losses and of failing to achieve best value for money in its internal operations and in relation to a relatively new programme – the Competency Development Programme[14].
From an overall system’s governance point of view, DES considers itself as operating in partnership with school owners and managers[15] and carries out regular consultation with a wide range of education and training partners through meetings, fora, conventions. Formal structures such as national committees and boards are in place to facilitate the input of stakeholders, including representatives of education and training managers, teachers/trainers and parents, non-governmental organisations, employers and trade unions. Such bodies include the National Council for Curriculum Development[16]; FÁS Board of Directors, Expert Group on Future Skills Needs; Further Education and Training Awards Council; Higher Education and Training Awards Council), statutory and ad hoc advisory bodies. Currently, the on-going cut-backs in public funding to the education and training system tend to dominate discussions, debate and, in some cases, public protests among many stakeholders. For many years Social Partnership agreements included agreements on education and training across all the levels, including VET. The collapse of social partnership (after 23 years) in a context of massive economic challenges means that the Social Partners are now employing less formal and less structured ways to influence developments in education and training.
Examinations and Qualifications bodies
Virtually all education and training qualifications in Ireland are situated within a 10-level National Framework of Qualifications, created in 2003.
At post-primary level the statutory State Examination Commission[17] (SEC) assumed responsibility for the operation of the State Certificate Examinations from the Department of Education and Skills from 2003 onwards. The Commission deals with the provision and quality of the Irish State Examinations. The organisation works in partnership with education authorities and providers to deliver the centralised national secondary examination and assessment system. The Commission is responsible for the operation of all aspects of the established Leaving Certificate (ISCED 3) and Junior Certificate (ISCED 2) examinations. Apart from occasional challenges, to date the SEC has been held in generally high regard by education and training stakeholders at all levels.