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COMMITTEE FOR HIGHER AND FURTHER EDUCATION, TRAINING AND EMPLOYMENT
MINUTES OF PROCEEDINGS: CRAIGAVON CIVIC CENTRE Present: Apologies: Meeting opened at 2.00pm in open session. Committee members were welcomed to Craigavon Borough Council Offices by Councillor Fred Crowe, the Mayor of the Council. 1. Apologies Apologies are detailed above. 2. Evidence from Craigavon Borough Council As part of the Committee’s Inquiry into "Education and Training for Industry," the Committee heard evidence from Councillor Fred Crowe, Mayor of Craigavon Borough Council; Councillor Arnold Hatch; Councillor Delores Kelly and Mr Trevor Reaney, Chief Executive. Some of the topics covered in presentations and subsequent questions from members included: examples of good training practice in the Craigavon area; the establishment of Centres of Excellence in Further Education Colleges to avoid unnecessary competition; problems with the quality of careers guidance, especially in grammar schools; the reaction of local firms to labour shortages caused by low unemployment rates in the area; and the Training Direct Centre established within the Upper Bann Institute of Further and Higher Education.
3. Evidence from the North American Coal Corporation Organisation (NACCO) The Committee heard evidence from Ms Suzanne Turbitt, Human Resources Officer and Ms Caroline Corey, Training and Development Officer from NACCO. Following a short presentation giving some background to the company, they answered members’ questions on: the improvements which an international company could suggest to Northern Ireland’s education and training systems; the success of the company’s Career Development Scheme; the steps which businesses could take to widen access to education and training; and the amount of new product design carried out in the Northern Ireland plant.
3.10pm. Mr Kelly left the meeting.
4. Evidence from Moy Park Prior to this evidence session, Mrs Carson declared an interest. As part of its Inquiry, the Committee also took evidence from representatives of Moy Park Ltd. Mr John Cromie, Human Resources Manager and Mr Alan Gibson, Purchasing Director, gave a short introduction and answered members’ questions on: the initial indications of employees with literacy and numeracy problems and what the company is doing to help them; the effects on the firm of taking in staff from recruitment agencies; how to deal with skills shortages in the food industry at sub-degree and graduate level; comparisons with the French and German agricultural and food university courses; and collaboration with local colleges and their flexibility in meeting the needs of industry.
3.35pm. Mrs Carson left the meeting. 4.00pm. Mr Byrne left the meeting.
5. Approval of draft minutes of 26 April 2001 Agreed. Proposed: Mr Dallat. Seconded: Mr Carrick.
6. Matters arising The Chairman informed members that the Minister had offered to meet to discuss the Committee’s proposed amendments to the Department for Learning and Employment Bill. At the meeting, which the Chairman and the Clerk attended, the Minister had re-emphasised the support within his Department to be known as the "Department for Learning and Employment," and had offered to meet the Committee to discuss the issue. Whilst some members still felt that the term "Training" should be included in the new title, it was agreed that consensus was needed with the Minister on this issue. The Chairman put the question that the new title shall be the "Department for Employment and Learning." This was unanimously agreed by the Committee. The Committee unanimously agreed that the amendments proposed at the meeting on 26 April 2001 be rescinded. Agreed, "that the Committee recommend to the Assembly that Clause 1, page 1, line 4 be amended as follows: Leave out "Learning and Employment" and insert "Employment and Learning." Agreed, "that the Committee recommend to the Assembly that Clause 1, page 1, line 9 be amended as follows: Leave out "Learning and Employment" and insert "Employment and Learning." Agreed, "that the Committee recommend to the Assembly that Clause 1, page 1, line 13 be amended as follows: Leave out "Learning and Employment" and insert "Employment and Learning." Agreed, "that the Committee recommend to the Assembly that Clause 1, page 1, line 15 be amended as follows: Leave out "Learning and Employment" and insert "Employment and Learning." Agreed, "that the Committee recommend to the Assembly that the Long Title of the Bill be amended as follows: Leave out "Learning and Employment" and insert "Employment and Learning." The Clerk was directed to amend the draft report to be presented for consideration on Thursday 10 May 2001. Members were reminded to return any amendments to the transcript of evidence to the Committee office by Tuesday 8 May 2001.
Action: Clerk Members noted the record of their attendance at HFETE Committee meetings from December 1999.
Action: Clerk Members agreed a response to DHFETE’s draft Communications and Marketing Strategy.
Action: Clerk Members agreed that Professor Bob Osborne should be asked to submit a paper to inform any response which the Committee would make to DHFETE’s equality consultation document on the Student Finance Review. Information would also be sought from Assembly Research.
Action: Clerk 7. Correspondence Members considered a letter from the Chair of the Governing Body of the North East Institute re the Sherrard report, and agreed a draft response.
Action: Clerk Members noted that information received from DHFETE on the Governing Bodies of Further Education Colleges was held in the Committee office. Members noted details of the Department’s PPP and PFI projects along with DHFETE’s response to the Committee for Finance and Personnel’s Inquiry into Public/Private Partnerships. Members agreed to consider this information before deciding how to take forward these issues at next week’s meeting.
Action: Clerk Members noted an invitation from the Minister of Enterprise, Trade and Investment to a presentation on the Social Economy on 15 May 2001 in the Long Gallery and agreed to indicate their availability to the Committee office by Tuesday 8 May 2001.
Action: Clerk 8. Any Other Business The Chairman informed members that he would be in America until 26 May 2001 and would be unable to attend meetings until 31 May 2001. Members agreed to issue a letter of condolence to Professor Murphy, Director of BIFHE, on the recent death in his family.
9. Date and time of next meeting The next meeting will be held on Thursday, 10 May 2001 at 2.00pm in Room 152, Parliament Buildings. This would include evidence sessions with Letterkenny Institute of Technology and the Women’s Training Enterprise.
The Chairman adjourned the meeting at 4.45pm.
Esmond Birnie
Dr Esmond Birnie |