FET learners’ voices heard at national forum in Mullingar

A hundred and one learners from Longford and Westmeath ETB (LWETB) convened at a regional meeting of the National Further Education and Training (FET) Learner Forum last November. The meeting took place at the Mullingar Park Hotel and involved learners from a variety of FET courses offered by Longford and Westmeath ETB.

The National FET Learner Forum is a collaborative effort between AONTAS, the National Adult Learning Organisation; SOLAS, the Further Education and Training Authority; and Education and Training Boards (ETBs).

The project is also co-funded by the European Social Fund, as part of the ESF Programme for Employability, Inclusion and Learning 2014-2020. This event was one of a series of regional events that will take place across the country this year.

Ireland is leading the way in making a commitment to learner voice with the establishment of a National FET Learner Forum. As a learner-centred form of provision, SOLAS is striving to make Further Education and Training (FET) responsive to learner needs. This Forum acts as a way for learners to directly influence FET provision. Their suggestions for improvement will result in a clear outline of recommendations which AONTAS will share directly with policy makers and ETBs.

Speaking about the forum in Mullingar, Niamh O’Reilly, CEO of AONTAS, said: “The Forum provides FET learners from Longford and Westmeath with the opportunity to have their voices heard, and to help shape further education at local, regional and national level.

“AONTAS believes that learners are experts of their own learning, they can identify what is working and what improvements are needed to ensure learner success, retention and progression. We look forward to using the deliberations from the Forum in supporting SOLAS and ETBs in creating a world-class FET system that is learner-centred.”