Moltar san athbhreithniú go bhfadófaí printíseachtaí go dtí earnálacha nua ghnó
Tá an tAire Oideachais & Scileanna, Ruairí Quinn T.D., tar éis athbhreithniú cuimsitheach ar chóras na bprintíseachtaí a fhoilsiú. Grúpa neamhspleách a raibh Kevin Duffy, cathaoirleach na Cúirte Oibreachais, mar chathaoirleach air a thug faoin athbhreithniú.
I measc na moltaí a rinne an grúpa tá leathnú printíseachtaí go dtí earnálacha nua ghnó agus tionsclaíochta. Tá ról lárnach ag fostaitheoirí i bhfadú dá leithéid, de réir an athbhreithnithe, agus is ceart dóibh na gairmeacha a bheadh oiriúnach do phrintísigh nua a shainaithint. Is ceart Comhairle Phrintíseachta a bhunú chomh maith agus is ceart d’fhostóirí tuarastal a íoc leis na printísigh sna réimsí nua i gcomhair tréimhsí ar an láthair oibre agus lasmuigh den láthair oibre araon.
Maidir le printíseachtaí atá ann faoi láthair, mhol an Grúpa Athbhreithnithe go leanfaí ar aghaidh le cláir agus go n-oiriúnófaí thar thréimhse ama iad, agus go socrófaí ceisteanna ar nós fad ama agus an leibhéal cáilíochtaí ar bhonn cheird ar cheird. Is ceart an curaclam do cheirdeanna a iniúchadh agus a nuashonrú ar bhonn práinne agus is ceart modúil choitianta do na printíseachtaí go léir a sholáthar, áit gur féidir. Is ceart scileanna eile, ar nós litearthacht, uimhearthacht, mata, eolaíocht agus TFC a chomhtháthú isteach i gcúrsaí.
D’fháiltigh an tAire Quinn roimh an tuarascáil agus glacann sé go ginearálta leis na moltaí inti. “Tá printíseachtaí ríthábhachtach don gheilleagar amach anseo. Is ceart breathnú orthu mar chomhpháirtíocht idir an t-oideachas agus an fhiontraíocht. D’fhonn córas printíseachta a oireann don 21ú aois a chruthú is gá go mbeadh an pobal ghnó ar bord againn.
“Comhlíonfaidh lucht an oideachais a ndualgas i leith oiliúna lasmhuigh den láthair oibre agus is gá do lucht na tionsclaíochta a ról a chomhlíonadh maidir leis na réimsí do phrintíseachtaí nua a shainaithint, agus lena chinntiú go mbíonn socraíochtaí bríocha ann.”
Ó cuireadh an córas reatha printíseachta i bhfeidhm sna nóchaidí luatha, tá athruithe móra tar éis teacht ar struchtúr na geilleagrach agus ar nádúr na fostaíochta. Le déanaí, tá tionchar an choir chun donais sa gheilleagar tar éis na fadhbanna leis an gcóras reatha a aibhsiú, ceannas na hearnála tógála agus easpa solúbthachta ina measc.
Leis an leasú mór struchtúrtha ar oideachas agus oiliúint, go háirithe bunú SOLAS agus na mBord Oideachais agus Oiliúna, agus leis an riachtanas géar leis an oideachas agus an oiliúint a ailíniú le héilimh an mhargadh oibre, bhí sé tráthúil athbhreithniú a dhéanamh ar an bprintíseacht.
Adúirt an tAire leis, “Is mian liom freisin cothromaíocht cheart inscne a fheiceáil i bprintíseachtaí. Go nuige seo, bhí an bhéim sna printíseachtaí i réimsí ar nós na tógála, a fheictear ar an mór gcóir mar bhealach do na fir isteach sa bhfórsa oibre. Tá sé in am éirí as an nós sin.”
Molann an Grúpa Athbhreithnithe chomh maith go bpléifí a chuid tograithe a thuilleadh leis na páirtithe leasmhara chun a fháil amach cén chaoi is féidir feidhmiú a chur chun cinn a luaithe is féidir. Tá iarrtha ag an Aire Quinn go dtarlódh sé seo anois. Gabhfaidh an Roinn i gcomhairle le SOLAS, leis an Údarás um Ardoideachas, le Dearbhú Cáilíochta agus Cáilíochtaí Éireann, agus le hionadaithe ó ghnólachtaí, ceardchumainn, agus soláthróirí oideachais chun tús a chur leis an bpróiseas seo.
Is féidir rochtain ar an dtuarascáil iomlán ag http://www.education.ie/en/Publications/Policy-Reports/Review-of-Apprenticeship-Training-in-Ireland.pdf
ENDS
Editors’ Notes:
The review was undertaken in two stages. The first stage was the preparation of a background issues paper in the Department which was completed in the early part of the year. The second stage involved the establishment in May 2013 of an independent review group, chaired by Kevin Duffy to progress a consultation process and prepare recommendations on how the apprenticeship system could be improved, taking into account the views of stakeholders and the information summarised in the background issues paper.
The Group’s membership included employers (including a nominee of the Minister of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation), representatives of business and unions and academic experts. The Group were asked to examine
· Legislative changes;
· Model of delivery/curriculum/ range of crafts/occupations ;
· Funding and finance mechanisms;
· Provision changes;
· Staffing and resource implications;
· Governance changes;
· Transition actions resulting from recommendations
A total of 69 organisations made written submissions to the review. A panel of representatives of the Review Group and the Technical Group also met with 25 major organisations with a role, or potential role in apprenticeships in Ireland. These organisations included unions, education and training providers, enterprise agencies and the Department of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation, employer groups and agencies involved in funding and organising apprenticeship. The group’s recommendations with regard to the expansion of apprenticeships to new industrial sectors include: - Legislation for apprenticeships should be designed as an enabling framework providing for flexible delivery through a variety of modes, and encouraging innovation and speedy adaptation where necessary.
- SOLAS should continue to be the national authority with legal responsibility for administration of apprenticeships, while providing for more plural governance arrangements in the future, which will facilitate apprenticeships at both further and higher level.
- An Apprenticeship Council should be established, hosted by SOLAS but involving an equal partnership and close co-operation between SOLAS and the HEA in all aspects of planning and delivery.
- The Review Group noted that submissions suggested that there was potential to expand apprenticeships into a wide range of business sectors.
- Employer led consortia should identify the occupations that are considered by them to be suitable for apprenticeships and make proposals to the Apprenticeship Council for funding.
- A ring-fenced fund should be established to promote the development and operation of apprenticeships in new occupational areas.
- Employers should pay apprentices in new apprenticeship areas for both the on-the-job and off-the-job periods.
- Assessment arrangements should be streamlined to ensure that the bulk of the administrative burden falls on the education/training provider, with completion of a portfolio in the workplace, and with a final competence determination mechanism at the end of the programme.
· While it is clear that many learners progress to degree level programmes from apprenticeships, particularly within the Institute of Technology sector, progression opportunities need to be made far more transparent for the future. · Sustained long term awareness campaigns will be necessary to promote the benefits of apprenticeships to learners, parents, employer, education and training institutions, and guidance staff. The Review Group also made several recommendations with regard to the existing apprenticeship trades. Funding for existing programmes be ring-fenced and the existing apprenticeship programmes should continue until they are adapted over time to reflect the following principles: · The curriculum for each family of trades is reviewed and updated as a matter of urgency. · Programmes should provide for the appropriate integration of transversal skills, particularly literacy, numeracy, maths, science and ICT. · The minimum entry levels needed to complete each programme successfully should be reviewed. · Curriculum review should be carried out on the basis of families of trades, ensuring that core common modules are provided to the extent feasible, while allowing for additional specialised modules that focus on particular occupational requirements · As with apprenticeships in new areas, an upper and lower ceiling on recruitment levels should be examined, so that programmes are tailored to labour market needs, while avoiding future skill shortages. The State should not fund apprenticeship costs above the agreed upper ceiling for recruitment. · Opportunities for progression should be strengthened, made more transparent and well publicised. The green economy, heritage protection, retro-fitting, sustainable energy, languages and cross disciplinary skills are all areas where progression options could be developed. A master craftsman qualification should also be considered. |