Tánaiste Opens IBEC/ICTU Learning to Grow 2000 Conference Essential That We Develop Skills For Our Future Competitiviness - Harney

Mary Harney, Tánaiste and Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment today (Friday 24th March 2000) opened the Learning to Grow 2000 conference, part of IBEC and ICTU's Training Awareness Campaign, in the Green Isle Hotel, Dublin.

Opening the conference the Tánaiste welcomed the decision of the social partners to ratify the Programme for Prosperity and Fairness. The Tánaiste said "Ireland has entered the new millennium with a vibrant economy which is the result of a combination of strategic Government policies, the enterprise of Irish employers and the skills and dedication of our workforce. All of this has been underpinned by a social partnership which has provided the economy with the stability to enhance its competitiveness. The ratification of the new partnership is necessary in our continued efforts to remain competitive in the face of ever increasing challenges."

The Tánaiste paid tribute to the education and skills of the labour force which she said has been "one of the cornerstones of our economic success. However, the numbers entering the labour market domestically are now falling. This tightening means that skills needs and emerging labour shortages must be addressed in a strategic way which will require mobilising potential pools of labour and improving the skills of existing and potential workers."

The Tánaiste stressed the need to ensure that the training provided to these people reflects the needs of the labour market as well as the needs of the individuals themselves. Pathways to employment must be provided for them and, once in employment, they must be encouraged to continually up-grade their knowledge and skills through lifelong learning. "Indeed, in a world where change is so rapid and so endemic, lifelong learning will, in future, be essential for those seeking to access employment, as well as for those already in work," the Tánaiste added.

.The Tánaiste cited The Training Awareness Campaign as an example of a successful partnership approach between employer and employee representatives to up-skilling and training people for industry. Through collaboration on this programme, IBEC and ICTU identified the skills requirements in a number of sectors and developed training programmes to meet those skills needs. This type of approach should be extended to other sectors.

The Tánaiste said another example of an enterprise-led approach to training is to be found in the Training Networks Programme which her Department will fund with £9 million over the next three years. Since she launched it last June a total of 39 projects have either to developed or are operating training networks which have the potential to reach in excess of 7,000 companies.

"It is essential that we build linkages between any new approaches developed in an enterprise-led context and State-provided training. This will help to ensure that the State is delivering training services in a manner which is fully consistent with the needs of industry" the Tánaiste added.

The National Training Fund, which was announced as part of Budget 2000, with funding of £120 million, is a very important development in the context of promoting Lifelong Learning in enterprises. Initially, this will underpin existing provisions of training in, and for, employment. The Tánaiste said however "that over time, my vision is that this initiative will be used to underpin a significant expansion of this provision. I expect that employers and employees will want to influence the priorities and actions of the Fund and I would welcome this".

The Tánaiste acknowledged the support of the European Social Fund for the Training Awareness Campaign under the ADAPT Initiative. Over the period 1995 to 1999, the European Social Fund contributed approximately £22 million to Ireland under ADAPT for 76 projects.

In her conclusion the Tánaiste highlighted the importance of the ratification of the The Partnership for Prosperity and Fairness which will play an important part in setting a positive framework within which the Government, Employers and Unions can implement policies to raise the education and skills of the labour force.