Business – VET Innovation in
Northern Ireland
Copenhagen 25th April 2012
Michael Gould
Overview
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Introduction
The Northern Ireland Economy
The Northern Ireland Policy Environment
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Programme for Government
Northern Ireland Economic Strategy
Northern Ireland Skills Strategy
Examples of Innovation between business and the VET system
Questions and Answers
Northern Ireland
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Constitutionally part of the UK; geographically part of
island of Ireland
Land area – 13,843 sq km
Population 1.8 million; 60% under 40 years
50% participation in HE
14 Years on still a post conflict society?
Industrial Heritage
Northern Ireland Economy
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GDP £28.2 bn/year - €34.1 bn
Services 74% v. manufacturing 26%)
Employment – 803,000 individuals
Unemployment – 61,970 (6.8%) but LTE 27%
Productivity Challenge (-24% below UK)
Economic Strategy – “Rebalance and Rebuild”
Priority Sectors
Northern Ireland Policy Environment
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Programme for Government
Northern Ireland Economic Strategy
‘Success Through Skills – Transforming Futures’
‘Success Through Skills –
Transforming Futures’
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The Northern Ireland Skills Strategy
Supports economic development
Qualifications used as proxy for skills
Demand led – i.e. business/employer led
Second regional skills strategy
Developed through a “skills forecast”
Skills Strategy Policy Headlines
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To meet productivity and social inclusion goals, need
to:
- Encourage higher level skills
- Up-skill the current workforce
- Improve management and leadership skills
- Reduce subject imbalances
- Attract small amount of skilled labour
Government, business, education and training sectors
need to work together to deliver.
Innovations to Address Skills Issues
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Future Skills Action Groups
Skills Solutions Service
Assured Skills Programme
Connected Fund
Future Skills Action Groups (FSAG)
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Purpose to identify skills issues and actions in a
sector and deliver solutions over two year period
FSAG is business led, with education, training and
government actors in Group
Focus is on action through Action Plan with three
themes – skills provision; sector attractiveness;
communications/stakeholder engagement
FSAGs in ICT; Hospitality & Tourism; Financial
Services; Food Processing; Engineering
Future Skills Action Group
http://www.delni.gov.uk/index/publications/pubssuccessthroughskills/future-skills-action-planfinancial-services.htm
http://www.delni.gov.uk/index/publications/pubssectoral/hospitality-and-tourism-action-plan.htm
http://www.delni.gov.uk/ict_future_plan.pdf
Skills Solutions Service
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Government intervention
Team of trained skills brokers
Work with SMEs to match skills needs with skills
provision
Three functions – Signposting; Bridge to Employment;
Customised Training
Successes in up-skilling the current workforce for
employers
VET are “providers of first choice”
Skills Solutions Successes
“Assured Skills”
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Government intervention to “assure” investor or
expanding indigenous company the skills they need
will be present
Based on North Carolina model
Very flexible model – high or low skills
Early successes – 33 projects, 1100+ new jobs
supported
Assured Skills – “Early Wins”
Connected Fund
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Collaboration between Business; HE and VET
“One Stop Shop” for business to access knowledge
and technology capital
Whole process from problem definition through to
solutions
£1m per year €1.21m for 4 years
Critical Success Factors
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Employers must lead
Openness and willingness of “partners” to work
together
Mutual benefits identified
Apply resources – financial and human to address
issues
Action orientated – not rhetoric
Responsibility “migrates” from government to
business
Characteristics from Successful VETBusiness Partnerships
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All recognise need for change
All are flexible in approach and open to new ideas
All are “curious” to solve problem
All are prepared to resource
All motivated to implement and review
Thank You
For further information contact:
Michael Gould
michael.gould@delni.gov.uk