Minutes of the EDF Skills Sub-group meeting held on 22 November in Lesley Buildings, Fountain Street, Belfast

 

Present:            Declan Billington - Chair

Victor Jordan (Invest NI)

Joanne Stuart (Institute of Directors)

Michael Hughes (NI Chamber of Commerce)

Robson Davison (DE)

Jim McConnell (DE)

Michael Gould (DEL)

Victor Dukelow (DEL)

Judith Shaw (DEL)

 

Apologies:         Trevor Neiland

Damian McGivern (UU)

Prof Ken Brown (QUB)

Mike Mullan

Tom Gillen (ICTU)

Nuala Kerr (DEL)

 

1.      New Members

The group introduced themselves and the chair welcomed the new members to the group.  Declan Billington provide an overview of the history and role of the Skills Sub-Group for the benefit of the new members.  In setting the scene new members expressed an interest in both the contribution of universities and concerns around the high number of students who leave school with no formal qualifications and the high number of adults without qualifications.

 

It was agreed that over the course of the next few sessions the sub group would seek to explore these areas.  Starting with the next session when DE would present on the ongoing reforms and progress made in improving the qualification attainment rates:

 

Action:  Chair and DE to agree agenda item for the next meeting looking in more detail at the ongoing reforms  and restructuring in Schools.

 

2.      Matters arising  from the last meeting

The minutes of the last meeting were reviewed. The following was agreed:

 

  • It was agreed that the Universities papers on skills would be deferred until the next meeting.
  • The statistics on the uptake of vocational courses and modern apprenticeships for the New Year would be provided at the next sub group meeting.
  • The joint presentation on vocational education provision for 14 – 19 year olds from DEL/DE was deferred to the next meeting.

 

3.      Update on Success through Skills; the Skills Strategy for Northern Ireland

Michael Gould gave an update on the progress of the implementation of the strategy since the last meeting.

 

4.      Northern Ireland Skills Needs

Victor Dukelow gave a general overview presentation on the skills needs of Northern Ireland covering the current situation and future trends as well a comparison with the rest of the UK.  The chair thanked Victor and pointed out the need to bridge the short-term shortages in particular areas if NI was to maintain credibility with potential inward investors.  The availability of conversion courses were noted but it was felt that the number of people on conversion courses were unlikely to be sufficient to provide enough people with the right skills to meet the immediate opportunities. And indeed if the number of posts that could be available was well understood.  It was also suggested that a more complete understanding of the skills needs required would need to reflect the type of inward investment currently being targeted by invest NI.

 

5.      Preparing for Success: A Careers Education, Information, Advice and Guidance Strategy (CEIAG) for Northern Ireland

Judith Shaw and Jim McConnell gave a joint presentation regarding the CEIAG strategy which was recently published for consultation.  They provide an overview of the strategy and outlined next steps of the consultation process.  During the ensuing discussion, Robson Davison provided information in regarding to the developments within DE surrounding the strategy.

 

The Chair welcomed the strategy and in particular the joined up approach across departments and an integrated life long approach for guidance and assistance. However it was noted that whilst parental and employer involvement was identified as important influences in determining a child’s career path, no significant actions were identified to achieve greater engagement.   It was felt that an independent broker was required to facilitate more structured business involvement in schools careers programs and the use of pupil profiling from age eleven, or indeed earlier, to start to influence parents as to the education path that best aligned the child’s abilities with career opportunities.

 

Action Points:

Meeting to be arranged between employer representative bodies, DEL and DE to discuss possible ways forward to place more structure on the involvement of industry with Careers provision schools. (Robson Davison)

 

Employer bodies CBI/IOD/ Chamber to respond directly on the consultation.

 

6.      Date of Next meeting

 

Action Point: Possible dates to be circulated for next meeting (Secretariat)  (early February?)