With the exception of construction, CAO level 8 acceptances are on the up for science and technology subjects, which will mean more graduates in these areas, an Expert Group on Future Skills Needs has revealed.
The report, Monitoring Ireland’s Skills Supply: Trends in Education and Training Outputs, also shows that the number of PhD graduates in science climbed 26pc between 2008 and 2009.
There were just over 200,000 awards made in 2009/2010 across all levels on the National Framework of Qualifications, which represents a 1.5pc rise on the preceding year.
In addition, 86,200 people received major awards in further education and training and higher education – 30pc of these were honours bachelor degrees, around the same as the previous year, while post-graduate awards were up 5pc at 19pc.
The largest increase was at level 5, where the number of FETAC (major) awards increased by 18pc.
Lifelong learning examined for the first time
The participation of the adult population in lifelong learning was examined for the first time in this year’s report.
The main findings were that around 111,000 people aged over 25 took part in lifelong learning in quarter 4 of 2011. Of these, 47pc were in the ‘economically inactive’ category; 30pc were in full-time employment; 15pc were in part-time employment and 8pc were unemployed.
Over the period quarter 4 2005 to quarter 4 2010, the number of lifelong learning participants increased by 40pc.
