SOLAS (An tSeirbhís Oideachais Leanúnaigh agus Scileanna)

The OECD adult literacy skills survey results released by the CSO (Central Statistics Office Ireland) show that unmet literacy needs remain a challenge for Irish society. The 10-year #AdultLiteracyForLife Strategy has two aims:   ☑️support adults to gain literacy, numeracy and digital skills. ☑️make society more literacy aware and literacy friendly. Read more here: https://lnkd.in/eVHJ8Gwd

This week I had an experience at a business networking event that really moved my heart It reminded me of my own values and how much they align with our  ETB values of inclusivity, equality and a commitment to literacy.    I was at the event, enjoying the conversations and meeting people from all stages of business when I was approached by someone. This was a self-employed business owner who came to share some of his story with me. He was trying to run a business and grow his business but lacked the digital skills for the modern business world. He told me that he has been running his own business with pieces of paper here, there and everywhere. He found it very difficult to get organised and to track his invoices and paperwork.  Although he had been given a laptop as part of a business grant scheme, unfortunately, he did not know how to even turn it on or send an email. This was having a huge impact on his confidence and ability to compete with other businesses. He felt like he was left behind and in the dark. When I asked him, what would he most love to be able to do? He said that he would love to get to the point where he could use Excel. It would make a huge difference and save him so much time. It would also allow him to feel as good as other business owners. Of course, I know that we could help him at Donegal ETB. So, I immediately followed up and referred him to our Literacy Services. He is pencilled in to start a beginners computer course this January. This little story tells so much. You see, ‘Agile’  is a word that gets bandied out often in training discussions- the essential need for agility and Agile Project Management courses. Absolutely true of course. As the world becomes ever more complex, we need to pursue best in class programmes that meet this need. But my interaction with this man also showed another, equally important form of agility- including and responding to those who feel left behind in a digital age. My hope for 2025, is that with the help of our best in class training,  this business owner feels more confident, on an equal par with others when networking and able to grow his business better. #networking #digitalliteracyskills #LiteracyChangesLives #WeAreDonegalETB

SOLAS (An tSeirbhís Oideachais Leanúnaigh agus Scileanna) just delighted to meet Santa today at The Cavan Centre. What an incredible organisation with amazing staff and very dedicated volunteers. Privileged to share time with the afterschools from Sheriff Street. Seeing kids having the best of fun in this festive season was just the icing on the cake. Andrew Brownlee Moira Walsh (She/Her) Nessa White Gay O'Connor

There is only one reason for this post, which I'm making as I add the qualification Masters in Business Administration to my profile - that reason is #gratitude. In 1991, enabled by a European Social Fund grant of £37pw and the support of my family, I followed my sister Shirley and Grandfather into the Dublin Institute of Technology (now Technological University Dublin). They both attended Kevin Street, studing Business & Languages and Electrical #Apprenticeship, respectively, but I broke the mold to study #Geo-Surveying (now #Geospatial #Surveying) on the northside at Bolton Street. I am grateful for the amazing teaching and enthusiasm for the subject instilled by staff including Frank Prendergast Kevin Mooney Eamon Donnelly Audrey Martin and Anselm Griffin. Years later, when I returned as a staff member these colleagues generously gave of their time to help me grow into the role. I was also aided by many, many others across the Institute and TU for the next 19 years (so many I cannot name here) so I'll particularly thank department & school colleagues Helen Murray O'Connor Niamh O'Reilly Alain Chenaux Paddy Prendergast Gerald Farrell Kevin Kelly Kevin Furlong MA, MSc. In 2022 I commenced my MBA studies TU Dublin Graduate Business School with the fantastic support of Dr. Colin Hughes Ashley ODonoghue PhD MCIPD Maria Keating Fitzgerald and all the programme lecturers. I was welcomed into a brilliant cohort who were so unfailing in their support and unstinting with their time that in 3 stemesters I learned so much more than I had hoped for at the outset - thanks to Anne Quirke Aislinn deBarra,MBA. Lorraine Dunbar Eve O'Hea Shawna Johnston Joseph Mohan Clay Coyle Mark Hanly Bryan Byrne, MBA Robert de Best Seamus O. David Gardiner. & I was also fortunate enough to join a second cohort who I also wish to thank for helping me get across the finish line with my last module and Consultancy Project (also thanks Lucia Walsh for brilliant supervistion): Gary Stanley Pádraig Mullally Oonagh McGarry Michael McGarry Tshepiso Njikelane KG Deirdre Dunne & Paudy O Gorman. Almost final thanks for their immediate support from the moment I joined SOLAS (An tSeirbhís Oideachais Leanúnaigh agus Scileanna) to Nessa White, Andrew Brownlee & Moira Walsh (She/Her). And, most importantly, thanks to Robert Ovington and our wonderful children who supported the last 30, 14, and 12 years 🥰

Thursday Throwback to the recent strategic meeting with our FET and Senior Management teams and our colleagues from SOLAS (An tSeirbhís Oideachais Leanúnaigh agus Scileanna) The meeting took place at our College of FET, Kilmallock Road Campus, reflecting on all the progress achieved over the last few years and discussing some exciting future plans. A fantastic way to end the year! #ThisIsFET #FutureProofingFET #FindTheBestInYou #GenerationApprenticeship Donncha O Treasaigh Paul Patton Andrew Brownlee Nessa White

Another week and four more brilliant strategic engagements thank you for the time we spent looking back over the last three years and planning for the next exciting phase of agreements with Cork Education and Training Board Kerry Education and Training Board Limerick and Clare Education and Training Board Tipperary ETB Thank you Megan Yeates and Stephanie Thompson for your invaluable input to our dialogues and SOLAS colleagues almost there #15 of 16 done Lorraine Hayes Aoife Walshe Alan McGrath Andrew Brownlee Selen Sarisoy Guerin, PhD Noreen Fitzpatrick

🙌The Adult Literacy For Life (ALL) Programme Office would like to wish our congratulations to all involved in the launch of #WWETB's new Digital Literacy eLearning suite of videos, that will help anyone who wants to improve their #DigitalLiteracy skills and learn how to use their smartphone. 📲These step-by-step guides will help anyone who wants to know how they can get the most out of their smartphone, where they can explore a range of useful tips in each video to improve their digital literacy skills. ▶️Take a look at the YouTube playlist from Waterford and Wexford Education and Training Board and take time to watch each video to learn how to scan a QR code, use Whatsapp, download apps, use google maps and much more.➡️tinyurl.com/2c9yzahp #AdultLiteracyForLife 🤝Literacy Matters. Together we can all make a difference. Yvonne McKenna #SOLAS , Education and Training Boards Ireland National Adult Literacy Agency (NALA) AONTAS, the National Adult Learning Organisation

📢#GenerationApprenticeship update! 📰 We are pleased to share an end of year update on the Transformation Training Plan for craft apprenticeships during 2024 & looking forward to 2025, available now on apprenticeship.ie: https://lnkd.in/dY4A-hnB 🤝Working alongside our #GenerationApprenticeship partners and training providers, progress achieved this year includes:  ✅Enabling a record 17,000 training places for craft apprentices at phases 2, 4 and 6 this year. This includes 8,500 phase 2 training places, up from 5,600 places in 2023. As a result of this increase, delays in off-the-job training have been mostly eliminated. ✅We are building capacity in training provision in 2025, with a similar number of training places planned for 2025. ✅Apprentices on most craft apprenticeships, including the pipefitting apprenticeship are now able to complete their training within a four-year timeframe.  ✅Additional targeted measures have been put in place for 8 apprenticeships in 2025, including Construction Plant Fitting, Electrical Instrumentation, Heavy Vehicle Mechanics, Mechanic Automation and Maintenance Fitting (MAMF), Motor Mechanics, Plumbing, Refrigeration and Airconditioning, and Wood Manufacturing and Finishing (WMF). ✅An additional €78m was announced for apprenticeship in the 2025 budget, this will support additional workshops and extra instructors/ lecturers around the country and help ensure that apprentices can progress on time through their training. 🚀Looking forward to working with all on growth & expansion. 🙏 Thank you to all of our partners for your continued support and collaboration this year.

Yesterday (10th December) was International Human Rights Day (IHRD) 2024, with the theme of ‘Our Rights, Our Future, Right Now’, highlighting the impact of human rights on people’s lives every day. The SOLAS Public Sector Equality and Human Rights Duty Working Group focuses on the elimination of discrimination, promoting equality and the protection of Human Rights of our staff and service users. To mark this important day in SOLAS ⬇️ 👉 We encouraged our team to reflect on what we can all do in very simple ways to eliminate discrimination and promote equality.  👉 We launched a short course on’ Unconscious Bias’.  👉 We showed "What Happens When you Say Hello" a powerful short video created by Connect Four and Grace Dyas to ‘prompt’ to us all to put our perceptions aside and challenge our own thinking. 📽️ https://lnkd.in/eFxgAhRc Caroline Jones Gwen Doyle Moira Walsh (She/Her) South Dublin County Partnership South Dublin County Council

Great to host colleagues from SOLAS (An tSeirbhís Oideachais Leanúnaigh agus Scileanna) yesterday for Strategic Dialogue meeting with Cork Education and Training Board Lots of interesting discussion and plans for the future. Denis Leamy Andrew Brownlee Nessa White Valerie CowmanValerie Lucey John Fitzgibbons Sarah Flynn Helen Ryan Nuala Glanton enda mcweeney #ThisisFET #FETisforEveryone #FETforEnterprise #GenerationApprenticeship