What the experts say

EMBARK ON 12-MONTH AD CAMPAIGN

Barry O'Loghlen, lead regional business manager, Bank of Ireland

EVERY organisation works best when it has clear, practical goals supported by objective performance measures for itself and its employees. If it does not have these already within its strategic plan, Aontas should attempt to create this structure. In the area of public awareness, for example, practical benchmarks might include regularly measuring changes in public understanding and sentiment.

Aontas also needs to be seen to be setting the agenda for adult education in a positive way. A 12-month advertising campaign could highlight the enormous benefits that adult education has had for individuals, communities and businesses within Ireland.

Outdoor, Dart and bus would all be good media, supported by active PR. To fund it, persuade a creative agency to undertake initial pro bono work for potential corporate sponsors. The offer? A relatively low-cost but high-impact feelgood sponsorship with high-visibility payback.

SET UP WORKSHOPS WITH BUSINESS BODIES

Niall Feely, director of business markets, Eircom

THE goal of setting itself up to represent best practice in professional management is well advanced and Aontas has huge influence relative to its size. However, it is under-representing employers and failing to attract their widespread support and influence.

The statement that few firms "make the connection between having a skilled and versatile workforce and . . . ongoing education for adults" runs contrary to my experience. This points to an understanding gap and to the possibility that the education opportunities being promoted by Aontas are too remote from the delivery of on-the-job benefits and, therefore, irrelevant to bosses. It needs to review how well it is in step with employers' needs and requirements. Researching business needs and attitudes will provide a platform from which to develop a strategy to make its role more relevant to employers. A good starting point would be some joint workshops with leading business organisations.

TAILOR COURSES TO BUSINESS' NEEDS

Mark Fielding, chief executive, Isme

GIVEN the type of structural shifts in local manufacturing and the ever-growing competitive threats from abroad, there is an acute need for enterprise training and, in particular, adaptation training in Irish SMEs.

Lifelong learning needs long-term commitment, yet successive governments have been quick to promote Ireland as a knowledge economy but slow to invest in the concept.

SMEs are investing more than 3% of payroll in training, more than double the 1995 figure. This type of training is enterprise-led and delivered through networks, such as Skillnets. To tap into this market, Aontas needs to promote to business organisations what businesses require — and then tailor its courses to meet this need. It must concentrate on enterprise training for adults, particularly for women going back to work and older employees. Many small owner-managers hold back from helping their staff to improve their skills for fear they will move to larger organisations when trained. Promoting and developing lifelong learning for all will be easier to sell to employers against this backdrop.

TIME TO ADOPT A NEW NAME

Ed McDonald, chief executive, the Marketing Institute

WITH the pace of change in the world of business today, it is indisputable that there is a need for regular retraining at all levels. The key question is how do you convert that agreement into real action.

Enough reports and influential bodies have emphasised it, and it will undoubtedly feature in the Enterprise Strategy Board's report, which will shortly be presented to Mary Harney, the minister for enterprise, trade and employment.

Aontas should develop alliances with a range of other interest groups and professional associations. It should identify areas of common interest, focused on practical training and development needs that can be delivered in short modules, especially for people of maturity and experience. Its focus should not be on academic-type development, the colleges can do that themselves. It might also be useful for Aontas to review its name — how readily do people relate to it? Maybe it's time to come up with a new title that more easily describes what it does.

INCREASE NUMBER OF CORPORATE MEMBERS

Catherine Goodman, SME programme director, Irish Management Institute

AONTAS must identify and work at bridging the gap between the needs of corporate Ireland and the core principles and priorities identified in the government white paper on adult education.

This will mean highlighting the relevance and availability of adult education. For example, lack of access to, and understanding of, cultural development is a barrier to competitiveness. Aontas could fill a vital gap for industry by liaising and educating in this area.

Private industry is hardly represented among Aontas's membership and that needs to be addressed. Increasing its relevance should help to open up additional funding opportunities. While Aontas has a large range of public, semi-state and personal members the organisation would do well to identify and nurture a small number of strategic partnerships to further its aims. To increase its private corporate membership, closer relationships with Fas, Enterprise Ireland, the Industrial Development Authority and industry associations might be fruitful.