1. SABER: Systems Approach for Better Education Results SABER-Workforce Development
Ireland
Sue Leigh-Doyle
29 May 2012
Washington DC
THE WORLD BANK

2. How has Ireland’s WfD system evolved?
Summary: Steady progress between with sustained leadership and support from government.
Highlights
Social partnership and institutional consensus facilitated WfD
Sensitivity to international experience and European funding support
Macro context
WfD system supported rapid economic growth in the nineties
5% annual average growth in GDP; importance of manufacturing, FDI, and services sector.
emerging > established > advanced
Strategy
Oversight
Delivery
1980
2000
1990

3. Strategic Framework Close-up: What were the biggest changes?
Integration of WfD within national industrial and enterprise policies
Sustained government and social partnership commitment
What moved the scores?
Policy informed by improved systems for assessment of skill needs
Policies supported by specific budget resources and implementation plans, with review mechanisms
What held back progress?
Limited roles for non-government stakeholders up to mid-nineties
1. Direction
2. Demand-led
3. Coordination
4. Pathways
5. Funding
6. Standards
7. Relevance
8. Incentives
9. Accountability
Strategy
Oversight
Delivery
1980
1990
2000

4. System Oversight Close-up: What were the biggest changes?
Responsibility for standards increasingly devolved, with wider stakeholder representation
New institutional framework for qualifications, and further education awards
What moved the scores?
Increased social partner influence on funding priorities
Increased focus on life-long learning
What held back progress?
Lack of progression pathways
Provider accreditation systems not standardized
1. Direction
2. Demand-led
3. Coordination
4. Pathways
5. Funding
6. Standards
7. Relevance
8. Excellence
9. Accountability
Strategy
Oversight
1980
1990
2000

5. Service Delivery Close-up: What were the biggest changes?
More diverse mix of non-state providers
More demand-led training
Increased focus on outcomes
What moved the scores?
Pro-active, bottom-up industry role
Improved evaluation systems
What held back progress?
Long time-frame to build pedagogical capacity in technical trainers
Lack of consistency in quality of work- experience placements/industry internships
1. Direction
2. Demand-led
3. Coordination
7. Relevance
8. Excellence
9. Accountability
4. Pathways
5. Funding
6. Standards
Strategy
Service
Oversight
2000
1990
1980

6. What have we learned from Ireland’s experience?
Challenges faced
Ability of institutions to respond quickly to changing skill requirements while also ensuring quality of provision
Ongoing professional development of trainers, and capacity-building
Lessons learned
Importance of sustained government commitment and social partnership consensus to WfD reform
Need for horizontal coordination mechanisms to integrate WfD within industrial and enterprise policy
Robust systems for anticipating skills requirements and for monitoring & evaluation of TVET provision are required to inform WfD policy priorities and funding/resource allocations