A new pilot scheme will see 150 to 300 unemployed people and others without technical education starting technicians' courses at third-level technological colleges in January. The scheme is part of the Government's plans to deal with skills shortages in high-technology industries. It was recommended by a joint education-industry task force set up by the Minister for Education, Mr Martin, in July to improve the supply of technicians to such industries.
Representatives of both Irish and multinational companies - including Intel, Hewlett-Packard and Dell - sit on the task force with Department of Education and college representatives. It is chaired by the chairman of the Council of Directors of Regional Technical Colleges, Dr Sean McDonagh.
In the next few weeks, the regional technical colleges and the industries involved will be recruiting students for new courses in electronics and mechanical engineering. The courses will lead to the award of a new National Certificate in Technology, validated by the National Council for Educational Awards.
The courses will last for 18 months and will include a guaranteed, structured six-month work placement sandwiched between two periods of study.
They will be aimed in particular at workers already in employment who want their skills upgraded; at women, who are very under-represented in the electronics and engineering industries; at mature people who have been out of the workforce for some time and at unemployed people and young people without third-level education.
The task force will present the Minister with its wider proposals for dealing with high-tech skills shortages by the end of the month.