October 2020
Price: £95 PLUS VAT
Format: DOWNLOADABLE PDF
***Full-scale policy conference taking place online***
This conference will discuss the future of skills and apprenticeships in Northern Ireland.
It takes place with the ongoing development of a new skills strategy for Northern Ireland, to replace the existing strategy which concludes in 2020.
The discussion at a glance:
- the new skills strategy - key priorities
- UK-wide policy developments - the immigration framework and the impact of Brexit
- Looking ahead - meeting the future skills needs of the Northern Ireland economy
- apprenticeships - their particular role of in helping meet NI’s skills needs
- COVID-19 - the impact of the pandemic on apprenticeships and skills development and those working in this area, including:
- what can be learned - taking forward the experience of the way that providers have adapted to the delivery of skills and training
- further support - what may be needed to accommodate the impact on stakeholders of the economic fallout of the crisis, as well as changes to skills demands and the working environment
A scan of policy developments:
- a new skills strategy for Northern Ireland - being developed of to replace the Success through Skills - Transforming Futures, which concludes in 2020
- Investing in Skills is crucial to future growth - highlighted by the Minister for the Economy as an immediate policy priority for economic recovery in light of the impact of COVID-19
- Apprentice Recovery Package - £14.3 million from the Department for the Economy to replace the UK wide Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme
- Murphy announces funding for apprenticeships, education and social enterprises - allocation of £23.1m from the Northern Ireland Executive to address issues brought about by COVID-19
- OECD Skills Strategy Northern Ireland - recently published and recommending:
- Northern Ireland reduce its skills imbalances through improving careers guidance and reforming funding models
- a culture of lifelong learning is created and the governance of skills policies is strengthened
- Economy Minister announces skills and innovation support for social enterprises - extending eligibility criteria
- UK points-based immigration system - details recently published by the UK government
Areas for discussion:
- the new skills strategy:
- key priorities and goals
- skills requirements - where are the most significant gaps
- meeting the needs of the NI economy into the future - options for further policy interventions to develop education, apprenticeships and a skilled workforce
- UK-wide policy developments - the immigration framework and the impact of Brexit:
- potential impact - of the UK government’s proposed immigration framework on organisations in Northern Ireland and attracting talent from overseas, and on the overall skills picture in NI
- a local approach? - examining the potential for developing regional immigration policies to benefit the Northern Ireland economy
- UK transition - how they are likely to affect availability of skills in individual sectors and in the economy as a whole
- looking ahead - meeting the future skills needs of the Northern Ireland economy:
- key future skills requirements - looking at the NI economy as a whole, as well as individual sectors, and the way forward for developing a workforce that is skilled to match those requirements
- new technologies and automation - the impact on the composition of the workforce and the consequences of this for the NI skills and training landscape
- education - what will be required going forward from post-primary, further and higher education for skills development and supporting and sustaining the talent pipeline
- retraining and up-skilling the existing workforce - priorities including developing clear career pathways and the role for in-work training and skills development programmes
- sector-specific skills strategies - priorities, and best practice for development and implementation
- apprenticeships - and their particular role in meeting Northern Ireland’s skills needs;
- standards and delivery - developing strong standards and excellence in apprenticeship programmes and ensuring that they deliver applicable and transferable qualifications and skills
- uptake - the way forward for achieving parity of esteem for apprenticeships as a path towards a future career and how best to increase apprenticeship uptake in NI
- the apprenticeship levy - addressing concerns around its functioning in NI, including whether funding resulting from the levy should be ring-fenced for apprenticeship programme delivery
The agenda:
- Key priorities for The Skills Strategy in Northern Ireland
- The future for apprenticeships - delivering skills
- Developing the framework for Northern Ireland’s future skills system
- Meeting Northern Ireland’s skill needs - priorities for businesses and sectors, funding, and delivering for City and Growth Deals
- Developing a skilled workforce - effective pathways, parity of esteem, and up-skilling
- Raising quality in apprenticeships - assessment, qualifications and promoting excellence
Policy officials attending:
Our forums are known for attracting strong interest from policymakers and stakeholders. Places have been reserved by officials from the Department for Communities; the Department for the Economy; the Department for Education; the Department of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs; CAFRE; the Department of Finance; BDUK (Building Digital UK); the Strategic Investment Board; The Education and Training Inspectorate and the Northern Ireland Office.
This is a full-scale conference taking place online***
- full, four-hour programme including comfort breaks - you’ll also get a full recording to refer back to
- information-rich discussion involving key policymakers and stakeholders
- conference materials provided in advance, including speaker biographies
- speakers presenting via webcam, accompanied by slides if they wish, using the Cisco WebEx professional online conference platform (easy for delegates - we’ll provide full details)
- opportunities for live delegate questions and comments with all speakers
- a recording of the addresses, all slides cleared by speakers, and further materials, is made available to all delegates afterwards as a permanent record of the proceedings
- delegates are able to add their own written comments and articles following the conference, to be distributed to all attendees and more widely
- networking too - there will be opportunities for delegates to e-meet and interact - we’ll tell you how!
Full information and guidance on how to take part will be sent to delegates before the conference
