Major reform will deliver more than €2m savings annually

The Minister for Education and Skills, Ruairí Quinn T.D., has today announced the establishment of 16 new Education and Training Boards (ETBs), that will replace the 33 Vocational Education Committees (VECs). 

Minister Quinn said: “Today marks a new era for education and training in Ireland. The new ETBs will strengthen locally managed education and enhance the scale of local education and training. This represents a major component of the public service transformation agenda. At a time when the need for training and reskilling has never been more important, it is crucial to provide appropriate programmes and courses that offer students and learners the best opportunities to progress. We must do all of this while providing value for money to the taxpayer.”

Thank you for providing me with the opportunity to address your first conference as Education and Training Boards Ireland.

Last year, at the IVEA conference in Cavan, I spoke about the forthcoming reform of the VEC sector. 

Today, at this inaugural ETBI conference, I want to begin by acknowledging 83 years of innovation, flexibility and high quality education - provided by Vocational Education Committees throughout the length and breadth of the country. 

The establishment of 16 Education and Training Boards on 1st July last represents another step in that journey.

I appreciate the work that was undertaken in each VEC to ensure the success of the mergers to the new ETBs, and I know that this work is still ongoing.

I also know that you are currently preparing for the transfer of FÁS training centres in Dublin, Cork and Kerry to ETBs by the end of this year, and for the transfer of the remaining training centres before the end of 2014. 

You cannot do this work alone.

CEFA will Launch a DVD 'Community Education in Action - Celebrating 10 years as Community Education Facilitators' on Monday 25th November 2013

If you are interested in attending this event please contact cefassociation@gmail.com for further information

More information and news to follow on this exciting event

CEFA National Training Event is being held on Monday 25th November and Tuesday 26th November in Athlone

LÉARGAS LIFELONG LEARNING PROGRAMME STUDY VISITS

Study Visits for Education and Vocational Training Specialists 2 013

Study Visits - provide education decision makers and those responsible for vocational education and training with an opportunity to spend up to one week in another European country, learning about practices and approaches in education. The visits provide a forum for discussion, exchange and learning on themes of common interest and on European and national priorities. By exchanging innovative ideas and practices, participants promote the quality and transparency of their education and training systems. Study visits are also an invaluable networking opportunity and a chance to meet potential partners for transnational collaborative projects.

The deadline for applications are:
- 15th October 2013 @ 11am for visits taking place between March and June 2014

Who should apply?
- Individuals who have a decision-making or specialist role within general education or vocational education and training
- Educational staff who are involved in management, assessment, training and counselling.

Application procedure: Check the online catalogue atwww.leargas.ie/studyvisits for Study Visits taking place across Europe from Septebmer 2013 to June 2014

Ever wondered how to measure your learners' soft skills? Or how to demonstrate  that those skills learned during a  course or in an informal way are  actually important for the job you’re  applying for? 

Professional life and career development are increasingly  determined by continuous learning  which helps to adapt to rapidly  changing circumstances. In the service sector, personal and social  skills are essential, thus becoming competitive factors at job/career level. 

The European project VITA (Validation of personal and social  competences relevant in the service  economy) is looking at a way of  measuring these soft skills or  “competences”. 

Pilot projects have been running in 9 European countries, including one taking place in South hill men's shed in Ireland. The aim of the project is to measure and document improvements in competences that aren’t usually measured but that are fundamental for the labour market such as problem solving, team working, entrepreneurial skills etc. 

The results of the pilots, along with a training session on how to measure social personal and organisational competences will be presented at a conference in All Hallows College, Dublin on Wednesday 9th October 2013 . 

Click here to read the agenda. 

Click here to book your place! Booking deadline: Wednesday 2nd October 2013. Cost: free 

Web: http://www.vita-eu.org/ 

Closing date for applications for the Local Global Trainers Programme is Monday 7th October.For further information please go to http://www.ideaonline.ie

Please email Helena Mc Neill at deved@lycs.ie if you would like to apply. 

The Government has approved the membership of the board of SOLAS, the new authority that will be responsible for developing a world class further education and training system.

The setting up of SOLAS, the Further Education and Training Authority, signals the start of a new approach to the provision of 21st century high-quality further education and training programmes for jobseekers and other learners.  The establishment of SOLAS will also bring about the dissolution of FÁS.

The Minister for Education and Skills, Ruairí Quinn T.D., – who was one of the first politicians to call for the replacement of FÁS – said he wished the new SOLAS board well in its work. One of its first tasks will be to devise a strategy for the development of a unified further education and training sector.

The new statutory agency will operate under the aegis of the Department of Education and Skills. SOLAS will be responsible, in partnership with the 16 new Education and Training Boards, for the integration, co-ordination and funding of the wide range of training and further education programmes around the country

Next week Community Education Facilitators and guests are coming together to Celebrate 10 Years of Community Education. This event has been organised by members of the Community Education Facilitators Association to mark and record the valuable work of community education groups nationwide and the work of Community Education Facilitators based in Education and Training Boards. 
Guest speakers at this event include the following;
- Introduction & Opening Address: Nuala O Brien CEFA Chairperson

- Keynote Speaker: Professor Pat Dolan joint founder of the Child and Family Research Centre at NUI Galway & Chair holder of UNESCO Chair in Children, Youth and Civic Engagement 

- Kitty Flynn: A snapshot of a learner’s journey in community education    

- Fiona Hartley SOLAS:  Official Launch of the DVD 'Community Education in Action Celebrating 10 years as Community Education Facilitators' followed by a viewing of the DVD.

To register attendance at this event please email your name tocefassocation@gmail.com

A Uachtaráin, a Chomhaltaí de Pharlaimint na hEorpa, ba mhaith liom mo bhuíochas a ghabháil libh as ucht an deis a thabhairt dom labhairt leis an tionól seo ina dtugtar le chéile ionadaithe na saoránach, arna dtoghadh go díreach agus go daonlathach, ó na seacht mballstát fichead, ocht gcinn fichead go luath, den Aontas Eorpach.

- [Mr. President, Members of the European Parliament, Commissioner Geoghegan Quinn, may I thank you for giving me the opportunity of addressing this assembly which brings together the democratically, directly elected, representatives of the citizens of the 27 member states, soon to be 28, of the European Union.]

- I address you mar Uachtarán na hÉireann, as President of Ireland, an island that has always been connected to matters European; a country that has always looked outward; a people with a very strong connection with the cultures and learning of Europe in all its diversity from ancient times; and a nation that has valued that European vocation through every century into the present when Ireland holds, for the seventh time, the Presidency of the Council of Ministers in our fortieth year of membership of the Union.

- Be it in our ancient Celtic connections, in our continuous connection with European scholarship, or in our modern consistent support for European unity we Irish have been European in our consciousness and commitment. Europe has always had an existence in the Irish mind.