Roadmap for Employment – Academic Partnerships (REAP)
REAP was a collaborative project involving eight Higher Education Institutional partners, for the research, development and validation of a Higher Education- Industry Partnership Model and Roadmap. The project aimed to identify learning needs within the workplace, draw up a comprehensive model for partnership between employers and Higher Education Institutions and verify the effectiveness of the model through a range of demonstrator collaborative activities. The main aim was to develop a mechanism to integrate and rationalise complementary initiatives and offer a relevant, inclusive framework to facilitate interaction with the workplace.
The National Development Plan (NDP) 2007-2013, under Human Capital, identified one of two key areas for action in labour force development as:
“Ensuring the development of a high skilled, adaptable workforce through continued emphasis on lifelong learning and training of those in employment.”
This action was best achieved by coherent, consistent and well developed tripartite relationships between Learners, Employers and Higher Education Institutions. The REAP Project examined existing practice in these relationships and proposed a roadmap for development of successful partnerships.
