Skills shortages are a hot topic in many business sectors in Ireland; to address this, the Irish Government is working closely with the Higher Education Authority (HEA), enterprise and higher education institutions to ensure that employees have access to suitable courses that allow them to upskill in vital areas. All stakeholders are also working hard on creating awareness of such upskill opportunities and making them as attractive and flexible as possible.
Micro-credentials are specifically designed with the needs of both enterprise and learners in mind – and with micro-credentials receiving subsidised funding of up to 80 per cent, there’s never been a better opportunity for people to upskill and for companies to ensure their employees have access to these valuable emerging skillsets.
“Micro-credentials are short, snappy courses in key skill need areas,” explained Dr Vivienne Patterson, Head of Skills, Engagement and Statistics, HEA. “They can be anything from one credit to 30 credits, and are flexible in their nature, whether in person, blended or online learning.
“They’re very focused on particular skills areas; for instance, you might take a very particular element of machine learning or sustainable construction and put it into a single course. They’re targeted methods of upskilling. So instead of doing a part-time course on business management, you might do a shorter module on business marketing.”
14,000 course places across 654 micro- credential courses
The micro-credential project, which evolved through the Human Capital Initiative, began by investing some of the National Training Fund money into creating a portal for micro-credential courses. This portal is a one stop shop that allows individuals to research and apply for micro-credential courses. Learners will later have the opportunity to ‘stack’ these qualifications and work towards a full qualification in ‘bite-sized’ chunks.
Now, the HEA has announced a further investment to subsidise the fees of micro-credentials. “We have also invested €9.7 million beyond this project to incentivise learners to take up these courses,” said Patterson. “We understand that cost can be an inhibitor for people in engaging with lifelong learning, so we wanted to give micro-credentials a boost to create awareness and make it a bit more mainstream. This money has been invested in around 14,000 course places and 654 micro-credential courses in critical skill areas like new and emerging technologies, climate and sustainability, business management, AI, cyber security, and new technologies in agriculture.”
The amount of the funding depends on the courses. “In micro-credential courses in key areas for the government, which at this time would be in areas like construction, renewable energy, climate action, machine learning and digitalisation, we’re offering 80 per cent funding of the cost of the course. There’s a 50 per cent subsidy for all other areas.
“This is also a great opportunity for employers to encourage their employees to take part in these micro-credentials. It’s National Training Fund money that’s going towards this subsidy, and employers contribute to the Fund, so it’s good for employers to know that their contribution is going towards courses available for their employees to upskill in critical areas.
Input from enterprise
One of the most important aspects of micro-credentials is that they are developed in close collaboration with enterprise, to ensure that the skills need of Irish companies and business sectors are being met. Dr Kevin Marshall is the Head of Education at Microsoft Ireland and the new Chair of the Government’s National Skills Council. He is also a member of the MicroCreds Enterprise Advisory Group, which advised on the courses needed by enterprise.
It’s vital that employees are encouraged to take that first step into upskilling
“Micro-credentials include short courses in emerging areas that a business might need,” said Marshall. “From an employee perspective they don’t have to commit to a year-long or an 18-month diploma or degree, but they can gain particular skills quickly and flexibly. The fact that they gain ECTS credits and you can build upon them very valuable.
“The Advisory Group aimed to inform Government on what skills were needed by enterprise. For instance, my specialty would be technology. We also provided guidance on how you can build awareness of micro-credentials within your own company and at a national level.”
Marshall explained that lifelong learning numbers are low in this country, and it’s vital that employees are encouraged to take that first step into upskilling, particularly in areas such as digital transformation, green technology and data skills.
“It’s never been easier for people to engage in lifelong learning and skill up. The government has made a really strong commitment; there are some really good courses out there and there’s a wide range of subjects too in a variety of teaching styles – face-to-face, blended and online. So there’s no excuse really. Now with the subsidisation, it’s a great chance for both employers and employees to take advantage of the opportunities for learning that currently exist.
“My advice is for employers to spend a bit of time on the website, or through the partnering institutions and alert their employees to what’s available in the areas that they need. The economy is changing all the time, and the skills needed are constantly evolving; lifelong learning needs to be a habit and micro-credentials are a great way to build skills and your confidence.”
For more on Micro-credential Learner Fee Subsidy and courses, visit hea.ie