Ireland: English Foreign Language I ndustry worth €500 million annually

[Harold Schiffman]

English Foreign Language Industry worth €500 million annually

Minister for Innovation Policy, Mr. Michael Ahern T.D. today
(Wednesday 9th April 20080 launched the English Language Learning
Skillnet in the Davenport Hotel, Dublin.

The purpose of this Skillnet is to provide and promote opportunities
for trainees and organisations alike in the teaching of English as a
Foreign Language. This will be progressed through the network training
that participation in the EFL Skillnet allows. Speaking at the launch
Minister Ahern said: "To date over 50,000 employees in 10,000
companies have benefited from the Training Networks Programme and I am
very pleased to be here today at the beginning of what I am sure will
be another very successful network training programme aimed at a
sector which is estimated to be contributing in the region of €500
million annually to the Irish economy ".

The EFL Skillnet aims to increase the level of professional human
resource practices within the Teaching English as a Foreign Language
sector, and to promote and enhance levels of employee satisfaction..
It is also planned to develop integrated human resources practices
with HR practitioners and general, senior and owner managers. Minister
Ahern said: "The Skillnet will focus on basic skills, cultural
diversity and developing businesses to international best practice
standards and make quality English language training available to the
significant numbers of the non-Irish migrant workers countrywide. It
will also provide progress certification opportunities for new courses
for employees within EFL network companies".

Skillnets Limited, on behalf of the Department of Enterprise, Trade
and Employment, is responsible for the Training Networks Programme
(TNP). The allocation from the National Training Fund for the TNP has
increased significantly in recent years, rising from €7.5 million in
2005 to €26.5 million in 2008. "It is only by continuously up-grading
the skills and knowledge of our workforce that we will improve the
competitiveness of individual firms and the economy as a whole. This
increase in funding demonstrates the Government's ongoing commitment
to supporting training in the workplace", Minister Ahern said.
Concluding Minister Ahern congratulated everyone involved in the
development of the English as a Foreign Language Skillnet and wished
them success in the roll out of the planned training programme.

http://www.entemp.ie/press/2008/20080409.htm

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