On December 21 st 2023 the Minister for Education, Norma Foley, TD and the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science, Simon Harris, TD launched the National Strategic Framework for Lifelong Guidance to cover the period 2024-2030.
On page twenty of the report it states that “ Lifelong Guidance is a more unified guidance system which will allow individuals in Ireland to have access to high-quality and appropriate lifelong-guidance services. Individuals are continuously faced with personal, social, education and career choices as a normal part of life. A lifelong-guidance system is a continuum of meaningful support that individuals can access at any time in their lives. Lifelong guidance is based on the philosophy that most individuals desire to participate in the workplace and perceive work as both a way to earn a living, find purpose and to fulfil potential .”
The Framework contains four pillars:
Visibility and awareness of lifelong-guidance services and information provision;
Standards and quality throughout the lifelong-guidance system;
Access, inclusion and universal design and;
Career-management skills and lifelong career mobility.
Under these four pillars there are eight objectives which seek to:
Enhance co-operation and co-ordination between those responsible for lifelong guidance with clear division of responsibilities and strong co-ordination;
Ensure greater awareness and access to lifelong guidance to make meaningful, well-informed and conscious decisions about education and careers in an ever-changing world;
Embed lifelong guidance within the world of work;
Improve clarity around standards and quality in lifelong guidance;
Further develop evidence-based policies that will help to improve the quality and impact of lifelong guidance;
Promote inclusion and equity of access through the provision of lifelong guidance, which is underpinned by a universal design approach;
Strive to ensure career-planning and management skills will be a consistent focus of guidance provision and;
Support career mobility for individuals through guidance provision throughout the lifespan.
On page seven of the Framework it notes that “The National Policy Group for Lifelong Guidance represents five government departments and each is committed to the vision and objectives outlined in this national strategic framework and the accompanying Strategic Action Plan (2024-2030). The work of the National Policy Group, government departments and regional and local guidance services will continue to be central within the lifelong-guidance landscape.”
The Department of Social Protection is one of these five departments, and on page fifteen of the Framework it notes that “Central to the delivery of a person-focused service is the provision of Public Employment Services through local Intreo Offices. Within Intreo, Employment Personal Advisors (EPAs):
Encourage, support and assist jobseekers to secure and sustain employment;
Work with jobseekers to develop an agreed personal progression plan, based on their needs and skills required to become job-ready and secure sustainable employment;
Provide access routes to work experience and employment opportunities;
Provide a service to employers by promoting the department's schemes and supports, and assist with filling vacancies and;
Provide access routes to education and training where skill gaps are identified in line with existing and emerging labour-market needs.”
Later on in the Framework it stated that “ The OECD (2023) note that individuals will need a stronger and better-rounded set of skills to thrive in the Ireland of tomorrow. Conversely, it is also noted by the OECD that the skills of individuals could be more fully utilised and activated in the labour market. Regarding access and inclusion within labour-market dynamics, the OECD notes that integrating disadvantaged groups into the labour market is crucial to ensure no groups are left behind and to improve Ireland’s overall employment performance. Guidance has a key role to play in relation to the OECD’s observations of the Irish context.” (p18)
On the same day the Strategic Action Plan for this Framework was published. It contains thirty five actions under the eight objectives with a timeline going from on-going to short-term to medium-term to long-term. The five Government Departments in the National Policy Group will play a critical role in delivering on these actions, in particular the Departments of Education and of Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science. The other three Departments include: Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth; Social Protection; and Enterprise, Trade and Employment. Amongst the other key actors identified to implement this action plan are the Education and Training Boards; their representative body (ETBI); Higher Education Institute; Skills and Labour Market Research Unit which is based in SOLAS; and the Expert Group on Future Skills Needs.
The National Strategic Framework for Lifelong Guidance 2024-2030 and accompanying Strategic Action Plan are available at Link here