Peter Egan
Director of Further Education and Training, Mayo, Sligo and Leitrim Education and Training Board (MSLETB)
In today’s labour market, there is a constant need for employees to reskill and upskill. That’s why adult educational opportunities must be made available to all.
“Education is transformative,” says Peter Egan, Director of Further Education and Training at Mayo, Sligo and Leitrim Education and Training Board (MSLETB). “Day in and day out, I meet people who tell me: ‘I have just finished a training course, and I am in a much better place as a result.'”
Adult learning for agile labour market
“Our economy needs an agile and flexible labour market; lifelong learning is a critical part of that. People need to reskill, upskill and site skill on an ongoing basis,” says Egan.
One of the country’s 16 local Education and Training Boards (ETBs), MSLETB delivers a range of educational services to around 30,000 students and learners on an annual basis via schools, further education colleges and various adult and further education centres. It provides training including apprenticeships, Skills to Advance courses, tertiary degree programmes, Post Leaving Certificate programmes and adult education courses.
“Plus, we provide technical programmes for school leavers and adults wishing to change occupations,” says Egan. “We offer a variety of national apprenticeships, including the Sales and Craft Butchery apprenticeships we developed, with more in development.”
Learning opportunities must be inclusive
and accessible to all, regardless of age,
background or financial situation.
Education inclusive and accessible to all
MSLETB partners with industry to identify needs and bridge skills gaps while providing tailored guidance to individuals seeking suitable training. “Take someone who has been outside the labour market for a while,” says Egan. “We can help them find the right career-based vocational training they need for a particular role.”
Egan insists that transformative lifelong learning opportunities must be inclusive and accessible to all, regardless of age, background or financial situation. The Training Board works with people from marginalised and disadvantaged communities, including refugees, to assist and empower them back into education. It also helps adults with literacy, numeracy and digital literacy skills. “Digital skills are just as important as literary and numeracy skills in today’s society,” notes Egan.
Adaptability and expanding courses
Having just launched a new College of Further Education and Training in Sligo and Leitrim, the education provider is expanding its course offering to consolidate its education and training provision. “Microcredentials are very popular at the moment,” says Egan. “These are flexible courses allowing people to upskill in specific areas. We’re developing a range of them, including data analytics, sustainable farming and podcasting. There’s no limit to what we can offer — and the skills people can learn to adapt to the new world of work.”
