Managing Editor Dr Brian Mooney described how, when planning this yearbook in March last year, ‘we realised that this would be the most important edition we were ever likely to publish, given the probable transformative nature of what was about to occur – and so it has proved to be’.

Three CDETB educators have important articles in the yearbook.  Dr Rory O’Sullivan, Principal Killester College; Cecilia Munro, Principal, Ballyfermot College of Further Education and FET Director Blake Hodkinson

Towards a Competence Approach to Skill Formation in Ireland

Dr Rory O’Sullivan

This article argues for moving away from the narrow, instrumentalist employability approach to skill formation. It presents a competence model based on the three venues of learning: the classroom, the workplace, and online. The skill formation system, and its associated institutions and organisations, are crucial to ensuring that the skills of new and existing workers keep pace with the evolving needs of the economy.

Towards a Competence Approach to Skill Formation in Ireland – Ireland’s Education Yearbook

Meeting Legislative and Governance Compliance during Covid-19

How Ballyfermot College of Further Education rose to the challenge

Cecilia Munro

FET colleges were challenged by Covid-19 to meet all legislative, governance, and compliance requirements off-site. This involved a transformation of face-to-face FET provision to a fully remote model overnight. This article details how management and staff of Ballyfermot College of Further Education achieved a smooth transition in the crisis.

Meeting Legislative and Governance Compliance during Covid-19 – Cecilia Munro (irelandseducationyearbook.ie)

An Education and Training Board’s FET Quality Assurance response to Covid-19

Stress-testing a new ETB governance structure

Blake Hodkinson

Covid-19 presented unprecedented challenges to all aspects of FET provision in City of Dublin Education and Training Board (CDETB). After careful consideration, a number of procedures had to undergo almost immediate alteration. In 2018/19, CDETB adopted new corporate Quality Assurance (QA) structures. This article outlines how the new structures and systems responded to the pandemic.

An Education and Training Board’s FET Quality Assurance response to Covid-19 – Blake Hodkinson (irelandseducationyearbook.ie)

There are other important articles in the Further Education and Training chapter by Andrew Brownlee, Shauna Dunlop, Dara Ryder. Ken Finnegan, Fiona Maloney, Colm Mc Evoy & Owen O’Donnell and Niamh O’Reilly.

Click here for the complete edition

Irelands-Education-Yearbook-2020.pdf