Transcript Innovative Career Guidance Tools & Quality Framework

European Vocational Training Seminar
XXV Edition
The recognition and certification of
Professional Skills
Genova (Italy), 11th -13th September 2013
Presentation by
Mick Creedon
Manager
Ballymun Job Centre
OUTLINE OF PRESENTATION
Ireland a profile
Education and Training System In Ireland
 VET System
 Qualifications Framework
 The Importance of Career guidance
Ireland
Population:
4.4M
LFPR:
59
Employment Rate:
59
Unemployment Rate:
13
LTU % Unemployed:
61

326,000 Jobs lost in the period 2008 - 2011

450,000 receiving unemployment welfare support
45% signing for 12+ months
Rate of unemployment for under 25 is 30%, males under 25
is 35%



Responding to this has resulted in major challenges and
changes for the education and training sector in Ireland
The Department of Education and Science is the Government
Department responsible for education in Ireland including VET
sector and further education and training outside of the formal
education system
Schooling is compulsory from age 6 to 16
Primary education (in Ireland commonly referred to as “first level”
education) enrolls children from age 4 to 6 to age 12 or 13
The junior cycle takes three years to complete and leads to the
Junior Certificate, obtained upon examination typically at age
15 or 16
The senior cycle takes two years to complete and leads to the
Leaving Certificate, typically at age 17 or 18
Further education and training (FET) embraces education and
training which occurs outside the general education and higher
education and training systems, and which provides vocationally
focussed learning, based on the needs of individuals
FET programmes are offered by a wide range of public and private
providers
VET policy focuses more on training programmes for young people
and students, programmes for the unemployed and programmes
for those in employment
After obtaining the Leaving Certificate students may continue in
tertiary (“third level”) education or in further education and
training
Tertiary education includes programmes of general education
provided at universities and colleges, and vocational education
provided in institutes of technology.
Further education and training (FET) refers to education and training
after second level education, but not as part of the third level
system FET programmes are offered by a wide range of public and
private providers
VET policy focuses more on training programmes for young people
and students, programmes for the unemployed and programmes
for those in employment
The programme of assistance agreed with the EU/ECB/IMF Troika in
November 2011 committed Ireland to a structural reform agenda
(to maximise the potential for economic growth), a fiscal
consolidation strategy (to return government debt to below 3% by
2015) and a reorganisation/recapitalisation of the banking sector.
In the VET and FET Sector the structural reform programme provides
for the following:
The establishment of a new Further Education and Training Authority
(SOLAS)
Merging of FÁS (the National Training Agency) and 23 Vocational
Educational Committees (VEC) into 16 Education and Training
Boards (ETBs)
The establishment of Qualifications and Quality Assurance Ireland
(QQI)
Youthreach education programmes to assist directly some 3,313 early
school leavers. Focus on young early school leavers aimed at re-integrate
students into mainstream education or the labour force with enhanced
skills and improved employment prospects.
The Back to Education Initiative (BTEI) offers part-time education to 32,066
learners with qualifications less than Leaving Certificate level
Community Education meets the education needs of local groups catering
to some 53,415 people
Skills for Work (SFW) training to some 3,000 workers with relatively low
qualifications; sometimes in the workplace
ETBs are involved in the provision of adult literacy programmes nationwide
catering to some 57,003 – including the provision of English language
programmes to 11,017 persons whose first language is other than English
Apprentices are required to hold a Junior Certificate, but the majority
of apprentices have a Leaving Certificate.
The apprenticeship system is standards-based, and typically lasts
for four years
It involves seven phases, three off-the-job (totaling 40 weeks in all)
and four on-the-job
During on-the-job phases the employer pays an apprentice during
off-the-job phases an allowance is paid
Standards-based apprenticeships are available in a limited number
of occupations, in traditional craft sectors (construction, electrical,
motor, engineering and printing sector)
Apprentices receive a National Craft Certificate (Level 6) on
successful completion of the programme
The Qualifications (Education and Training) Act
1999, established the structures for the National
Framework for Qualifications (10 step framework
which is equated to the 8 step European
Qualifications Framework (EQF))
This enabled the co-ordination of awards and
promoted access, transfer and progression
within VET
http://www.nfq.ie/nfq/en/FanDiagram/nqai_nfq_08.html
Prior to 2012 Certification was provided by two councils
– the Further Education and Training Awards Council
(FETAC) for levels 1-6 and the Higher Education and
Training Awards Council (HETAC) for levels 6-10 (so
that both bodies deal with Level 6)
Both FETAC and HEATAC are being amalgamated into a
new single agency called –
Qualifications and Quality Assurance Ireland (QQI)
Ballymun: Profile
•
The population of the Ballymun area is: 16,236 of which
16.6% are 15 to 24 (Source, Irish CSO 2011)
•
High number of single parents (approx. 2,100 / 18% of
individuals over 15 / 49.3% of all family units) (Source, CSO 2011)
•
Low level of educational attainment and low income
•
__________________________________________________
Highest level of educational attainment (percentages) (Source, Irish
CSO 2011)
National
Dublin city
Ballymun
Lower Sec or less
32
31
49
Degree or higher
25
32
9
Barriers faced by clients

Previous Education and Experience


Ability to cope /Motivation
Self-Esteem

Self-Knowledge

Occupational Knowledge

Decision Making Skills

Environmental & Practical Problems
BJC: WHO WE ARE
The BJC was established in 1986 as a community response to
a chronic unemployment situation
The BJC is a voluntary organisation with charitable status it is
a co-operative and is managed by a Board of Management
Since 1996 BJC manages the Local Employment Services
Network (Contract with Ballymun Whitehall Partnership)
Over the years the BJC has built relationships and worked
closely with a wide range of public, private, European and
community organisations
SERVICE OVERVIEW
Employer
Support
Client Services
Career guidance, advise, planning and
job matching (access to aptitude tests)
Employer contact
Promoting local
labour, needs of
hard to place
clients
Processing Job
Orders and
placement
Special guidance service for individuals
recovering from drug problems and
disadvantaged young people
Provision of basic and specific skills
training, with a focus on innovative
training that is not provided by other
agencies/organisation
CV and interview preparation: Jobs Club
Placement and follow-up
Innovative Projects
and Research
Development of
innovative actions
and research that
will have the
capacity to
a) positively
influence
“mainstream”
services for the
clients and
b) improve the
quality of our
services
Why Focus on Career Guidance?
■ Jobseekers are not often in a position to fulfill their full
potential in the employment market
■ Job seekers are often unaware of their own interests,
specific aptitudes and personality style, this lack of self
knowledge can inhibit the individual in accessing
appropriate vocational training and subsequently fulfilling
employment
■ Lack of awareness of the options available to them
■ The lack of an appropriate career guidance process can
often mean that uninformed career decisions are made
based on the availability of training/education courses
Why Focus on Career Guidance?
■ Provides the unemployed with clarity regarding their
employment interests and aptitudes
■ Assist in identifying areas of employment that stimulates an
individual’s interest
■ For adults returning to the workplace or to education and
training, an appropriate career guidance process can greatly
assist in the making of well informed decisions about the
direction which best meets the needs of the individual
■ The outcome of the guidance process can play an important
role in influencing the design and implementation of quality
labour market orientated education and training
BJC: Career Guidance Service

Aim of the service is to increase/raise levels
◦ self awareness
◦ motivation
◦ self esteem
◦ self efficacy
◦ career clarity etc.
◦ develop realistic career development plans
INFORM
INFORM is a system that assists clients who are unaware of their
competencies (developed in everyday life such as managing a
household/doing the shopping/looking after children/watching TV/
participating in sports etc.)
Aim to identify the competencies that they have already developed
which may be transferable to the labour market / can be used as
a springboard into education /training /further career guidance.
The tool is very much pitched at clients who are vulnerable and
who may feel that they have very few skills/abilities...the real benefit
of using this tool is to motivate clients who may have weaker skills
(including literacy) / low self esteem or who feel they have little to
offer to the world of work.
MSTEI
07/07/2015
Practitioner Training August 2008
EGUIDE
EGUIDE is a web based career guidance tool consisting of a number of
career guidance assessments (which form part of the EGUIDE Quality
Framework for guiding disadvantaged job seekers).
In traditional guidance processes the practitioner assists the client to
become more aware of their Interests, their preferred behavioural style
and their specific aptitudes. EGUIDE uses a positive psychological
approach
•Builds confidence in ones own skills, abilities and competencies
•Identifies potential
•Dialogue tool
The EGUIDE tool aims to support the practitioner in this process.
MSTEI
07/07/2015

USEFUL WEB SITES:

www.welfare.ie

www.enterprise.gov.ie

www.localemploymentservices.ie