Donegal ETB has published a three-year strategic agreement for its Further Education and Training (FET) Service.
The out agreement sets out the Education and Training Board’s priority areas for the coming years, which will see it substantially expand the traineeship model. The focus will be on upskilling of the existing workforce, build on its approach to enterprise engagement by targeting employers on a sectoral basis and integrate transversal skills development into all FET programmes.
In launching the strategic agreement, Minister for Education and Skills, Joe McHugh, T.D., said: “Donegal ETB’s new, tailored strategies for further education and training in the county are a really significant step.
”They recognise the need to respond to a fast-changing world of work but also seizes on the new opportunities being created.
“All those involved in the ETB have put a huge amount of thought and effort into this agreement, not least working with the Department of Education and Skills over the last year.
“Donegal ETB is showing the ambitions needed to prepare people for the world of work or to change or broaden a career.”
The agreement demonstrates the commitment of Donegal ETB to ensuring FET provision that meets the needs of the local community, individual learners and businesses.
Anne McHugh, Chief Executive, Donegal ETB, outlined the benefits of the Agreement and what it means for Co Donegal
“Donegal ETB has long been at the heart of the community offering a diverse range of education programmes for the region.
“The priorities set out in the Agreement will help ensure that further education and training is future ready and responsive to the changing technological, social and economic landscape of the region.”
Donegal ETB’s Director of FET, Cróna Gallagher, said there is a real appetite for education and learning in Co Donegal.
“Donegal ETB aims to ensure that FET provision in the region focuses on critical skills needs, refocussing from provision of broad-based skills to provision focussed on priority skills needs, ensuring future ready learning for all.
“We are also very mindful of the wider brief that we hold to provide inclusive educational opportunities for all members of the Donegal community, including those who may be marginalised from the mainstream provision.”