Cork ETB “well positioned to meet the skills demands of the green economy”

Cork Education and Training Board (ETB) is “well positioned to meet the skills demands of the green economy”. That’s according to John Fitzgibbons, Director of Further Education and Training at Cork ETB, speaking following the inaugural FET Green Skills Summit, hosted by SOLAS and Education and Training Boards Ireland (ETBI) in Wexford Council’s County Hall last week.

There are currently over 50 green skills programmes being delivered by the 16 ETBs across Ireland, with a particular focus on construction, agriculture and technology sectors.

Director of Further Education & Training in Cork ETB, John Fitzgibbons stated: “We in Cork Education & Training Board are well positioned to meet the skills demands of the green economy and support our learners and trainees to access real career opportunities in this area. Our upcoming programmes for 2022 include: Environmental Sustainability in the Workplace Level 5 Microcredential; Environmental Sustainability Awareness Level 4 Microcredential; Lean For Green – Level 5 Microcredential; Smart Driving ECO Drive; Fifty Shades Greener Online programme 2022”.

SKILLS FOR THE FUTURE

Speaking about the Green Skills Summit, Andrew Brownlee, CEO of SOLAS, said: “We planned the Summit to take a proactive look at the skills needs of industry and to explore how best further education and training can meet these needs. The Climate Action Plan published in 2021 has set ambitious targets for the decarbonisation of our economy and the transition to this new economy will require significant levels of skills across the country in a huge variety of sectors to come to fruition.

“At the Summit, we heard some great insights on how the further education and training sector can expand on the work we are already doing to equip people across Ireland with the right skills to contribute to the transition to a greener economy.”