Appendix K: Key Recommendations from Other EGFSN Reports

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Recommendations from Languages and Enterprises: The Demand & Supply of Foreign Language Skills in the Enterprise Sector

Recommendation 1: National Languages Policy

A National Languages Policy should be formulated by the Department of Education & Science, in collaboration with the National Council for Curriculum and Assessment (NCCA), to provide an integrated and coherent approach to language education, in all learning contexts. This policy should be driven by the cultural, social and economic needs of learners and the state. In particular, it should be cognisant of the future requirements of the enterprise sector, as identified by the development agencies and industry associations.

Recommendation 2: Language Education

  1. The work of the NCCA in reviewing the senior cycle is strongly endorsed, in particular as it relates to a new approach to language education at second level;
  2. The Modern Languages in Primary Schools pilot programme should be integrated into the mainstream curriculum and made available to all primary schools;
  3. The Post-Primary Languages Initiative should likewise be expanded and the existing language provision at post-primary level should be reviewed in the light of the lessons learnt, to increase the quality and value of the language learning experience for students;
  4. The importance of foreign languages as a life skill, as a promoter of cultural awareness and as a means of enhancing the value of other skills, intellectual or vocational, must be reflected in the teaching of languages at all levels of the education system.

Recommendation 3: Language Careers

IDA Ireland, Enterprise Ireland and IBEC should collaborate to build up a portfolio of case studies of the range of career opportunities open to those with foreign language skills. This portfolio should be made available to career guidance teachers, with appropriate backup, for dissemination to students.

Recommendation 4: Frameworks

The National Qualifications Authority of Ireland (NQAI), in collaboration with the Further Education and Training Awards Council (FETAC), the Higher Education and Training Awards Council (HETAC), the universities, the Dublin Institute of Technology (DIT), the NCCA, and the State Examinations Commission (SEC), should reference language competency as measured by the Common European Framework of Reference to the National Framework of Qualifications.

Recommendation 5: Awards

Subsequent to the implementation of Recommendation 4, FETAC, HETAC, the universities, DIT and the SEC, in consultation with the NQAI, should devise an appropriate award matrix for language learning by referencing each of their own awards, including grading/classification within these, as appropriate, within the National Framework of Qualifications against the Common European Framework of Reference. A key benefit of this exercise would be a better awareness and appreciation among employers and students alike of the language value inherent in particular courses.

Recommendation 6: IBEC European Orientation Programme

IBEC and Enterprise Ireland should capitalise on the success of the European Orientation Programme to date and consider how it might be expanded. For students, it provides clear evidence of the link between language skills and career options, and for enterprise it demonstrates how language skills can contribute to export success.

Recommendations from Careers and Labour Market Information in Ireland

Recommendation 1: Development of a Portal

The Department of Enterprise, Trade & Employment and the Department of Education & Science should explore the feasibility of developing a central Irish careers portal or coordinated gateway site. This would contain information on careers, courses and the labour market, organisational/company profiles, a range of assessment tools and testimonials, a guidance helpline and appropriate linkages to related sites.

Recommendation 2: Promotion of Existing Career Sites

The lack of advertising of career sites has had a negative impact on their use. Their existence (Qualifax, Career Directions, Grad Ireland etc.) should be widely promoted to all potential users in the media. All guidance professionals should also be advised to introduce students and FÁS clients to these sites during contact hours. If a national portal is to be established, a high impact publicity plan should be developed from the outset.

Recommendation 3: Improving Access to Useful Labour Market Information

Both the availability and accessibility of labour market information should be improved on careers databases. The availability of labour market information should be articulated on the home page of careers databases or an eventual portal. Information should be understandable by the widest possible range of target groups and as such should be readable, highly summarised and visually presented where possible. More academic and detailed labour market information should also be available for those who wish to conduct research or wish to be further informed.

Recommendation 4: Improving Existing Career Guidance and Information Resources

  1. A wider range of reputable self-assessment tools, including CV builders, should either be made available directly on Irish careers sites or through appropriate linkages. The best use and limitations of these tools should be highlighted.
  2. The Departments should ask guidance bodies (Institute of Guidance Counsellors, the Association of Graduate Careers Services in Ireland, the Institute of Technology Careers Advisory Network and FÁS Employment Services) to examine how best to communicate the demand from all groups for informal information delivered by recent job holders and students about day-to-day work and course experiences.
  3. There is a need for institutions to continually review their prospectuses and course information to provide maximum relevant information for prospective students. Institutions should benchmark themselves against best international practice.
  4. The Department of Education & Science, the Department of Social & Family Affairs and the Department of Enterprise, Trade & Employment should examine how careers information, in the context of existing adult guidance services, might be adapted or extended to meet the needs of those who are not currently attached to the education or training system. Such groups would include those who are unemployed, under-employed, facing possible redundancy or absent from the workforce for long periods because of caring responsibilities.

Recommendations from SME Management Development in Ireland

Recommendation 1:

Provide an accessible central point of reference for information on courses and other learning services for managers.

Recommendation 2:

Assist SMEs in identifying their needs, and support them in satisfying those needs.

Recommendation 3:

Identify market gaps, where current and latent demand for management development is unsatisfied.

Recommendation 4:

Prepare and disseminate advice to industry, trade and professional bodies that have significant numbers of SME principals as members on developing and delivering informal learning opportunities for these members.

Recommendation 5:

Induce the supply side of the market – providers of management development courses, including higher education institutions – to respond to identified gaps and to the demand of SMEs. Together with individual SMEs and their representative organisations, assist in the development of course content relevant to the needs of SMEs.

Recommendation 6:

Review and certify the quality of provision.

Recommendation 7:

Promote the use of structured business networking for management development.

Recommendation 8:

Develop management diagnostic tool kits that allow SMEs to identify their ownspecific management development needs, and ensure that these diagnostic tools are widely distributed amongst SMEs.

Recommendation 9:

Demonstrate and publicise the benefits of management development throughIrish SME case studies that show the payoffs delivered by management training.

Recommendation 10:

Continue to provide financial support for management development activities where justified on public policy grounds.

Recommendations from Innovate Market Sell: A Review of the Sales, Marketingand Innovation Capabilities of Irish Exporting SMEs Report

Recommendation 1:

Align third level marketing and sales curricula more closely to the needs of SMEs. n Incorporate modules that focus on the practical capabilities required by SMEs in third level marketing and sales curricula;

Recommendation 2:

Provide training in sales and marketing for personnel in SMEs with no qualification and/or insufficient sales and marketing training.

Recommendation 3:

Make training more accessible, focused and action-oriented, and provide on a sectoral basis, where possible.

Recommendation 4:

Assist SMEs to source experienced sales staff.

Recommendation 5:

Develop world-class marketing and sales competencies among SMEs.

Recommendation 6:

Improve sales management in SMEs.

Recommendation 7:

Promote innovation among SMEs.

Recommendation 8:

Cultivate expertise in innovation.

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