Institutes of technology by their nature interact strongly with the economy. Tens of thousands of their graduates occupy key technical and management positions throughout the State. Their emphasis has always been on the application of knowledge.

The major changes in the economy are now raising fundamental challenges for the institutes. The "old model" - of colleges with a big emphasis on full-time courses over a single academic year and attracting school-leavers - will evolve into a "new model". This new model will be characterised by different learners, activity over the entire calendar year, stronger links with industry and employees, varied means of delivery of courses and an even greater relevance and level of activity.

The forces for change are formidable and derive from the economy at large, from policy proposals and from an analysis of the institutes' performance.

The main forces at work are:

employment growth - there are 250,000 more employed now than at the start of 1998 - this has created skill needs at various levels like IT, science, technological sectors, construction and e-business;

demographic change - we are now in the second year of an eight-year period during which the annual number of Irish-born 18-year-olds will decline by 20,000;

the decline in the number of school-leavers over the next decade - and the larger decline of school-leavers who are prepared for technical courses and careers - which means skill needs must, to a large extent, be met by adults;

technological change - technology-in-use changes by 80 per cent every 10 years, which is less than one quarter of the average working life - that rate of change and productivity considerations dictate major up-skilling and professional development of the workforce;

Advocacy of change is widespread. Policy documents such as the National Development Plan, the Programme for Prosperity and Fairness, the White Paper on Learning for Life, the reports of the Expert Group on Future Skill Needs all strongly promote skills initiatives, widespread adult participation, partnership with economic life, new, flexible delivery methods and second-chance opportunities.

Matching course formats, delivery times and methodologies to the needs of new learners is also advocated. National policy on such opportunities now coincides with economic need.

There are aspects of the current institutes' performance that might be looked at. The full-time enrolment in institutes on engineering and science courses has declined proportionately over the last three years. Major schemes enabling new adult learners and employee up-skilling in technical areas are needed to deal with technical-skill shortages.

Success and completion rates on technical courses are receiving close attention in institutes. Many students are highly successful. However, for some school-leavers, new formats by which work and study are combined may keep them in the system.

Although institutes have major programmes of part-time education, there is no State-wide part-time system, paralleling the full-time one. If part-time education is to meet the objectives being ascribed to it - matching skill needs, enabling adult learners and off-setting the decline in the number of school-leavers, then major changes in formats, availability, organisation and delivery are needed.

The difficulties and barriers to success of part-time students must be addressed. Above all, the involvement of industry and employers in promoting widespread participation is required.

Closer partnership

A closer industry/institute of technology partnership - sector by sector, region by region - to achieve common objectives of addressing skill needs and employee upskilling and is now required. Partnerships can enable flexible learning formats like certififying work-based courses.

Initiatives based on such partnerships may include the following:

Traineeships - new programmes to address technician needs by combining study and work in sectors such as construction, local authorities, electronic manufacturing, pharmaceuticals, chemicals and healthcare;

flexible learning and training - credit-based learning whereby students have a freer choice of modules from multiple providers and incorporating in-company training;

new delivery methods - a variety of delivery methods to new and adult learners, including over the Internet;

wider access - courses could be given over the summer or on Saturdays, with multiple entry points annually, so students can begin at various times during the year;

shortened apprenticeships for experienced workers to address skill needs and widen opportunity;

more industry-driven accelerated technician programmes, which have proven attractive to adults in key skill areas.

In all of these initiatives a special emphasis must be laid on attracting potential new entrants to the workforce and those in "dead end" or part-time employment.

Institutes of technology have contributed in a major way to national economic success. The changes which will occur in the institutes will ensure that the flexibility and excellence that have been their characteristics will be expressed in new relevant ways in the unprecedented national circumstances at the outset of the National Development Plan.

Dr Sean McDonagh is director of the Government's Skills Initiative Unit and former director of Dundalk Institute of Technology.