Dr. Jim Murray:

On behalf of the Technological Higher Education Association, THEA, and its members, the 14 institutes of technology, I thank the committee for the invitation to its meeting to discuss the uptake of apprenticeships and traineeships.

The technological higher education sector is a strong supporter of apprenticeship and it will remain a key element of its provision into the future. The first technological university, TU Dublin, will be the largest educational facilitator of apprenticeship programmes in the country when it is designated in January 2019. Of THEA's fourteen members, 12 contribute to the provision of the off-the-job elements of some 23 of the designated craft apprenticeships. Of the nine new apprenticeships launched since 2016, seven are led by THEA members, as co-ordinating providers, in areas as diverse as polymer processing technology and insurance practice. In addition, institutes of technology are the proposed co-ordinating providers for a further ten new apprenticeships under development.

Apprenticeship, in the Irish context, is a statutory national programme that enables the apprentice to earn and learn at the same time and is traditionally associated with the construction, electrical, automotive and engineering industries. The great advantage of this approach is that it not only provides the opportunity to the apprentice to learn on the job but also to participate fully as an employee in a real-world work environment. The new apprenticeships aim to extend this approach more broadly into sectors that have not traditionally been associated with apprenticeships. It is a fresh, ambitious and innovative undertaking which THEA believes has the potential to bring about very significant enhancements to the apprenticeship system as a whole and to employment sectors that identify and choose it as the optimal model for educating and training their staff in particular occupations.

THEA views statutory national apprenticeships as one key element in a broad family of education and training programmes that are based on a learn and work model. This model also includes traineeships and non-apprenticeship programmes provided by the further education and higher education sectors that have varying levels of non-paid, work-based learning embedded within them. These include work placements integrated into regular degree programmes and bespoke programmes developed for individual companies. It is important to offer this mixed portfolio of work-based learning to enhance the employability of all graduates and it is equally important that employment sectors give consideration to which model is most suited to their recruitment needs.

Employers are primarily responsible for recruiting apprentices, not the education providers. Employers are best placed to comment on why there have been difficulties in recruiting apprentices in certain sectors. Our members are closer to the recruitment process of the new apprenticeships and their experience to date suggests recruitment tends to be more successful when an employment sector is well organised and has a strong professional association behind it that can determine whether apprenticeship is an appropriate work-based learning model for that sector. A strong professional association also helps to mobilise individual companies in recruiting apprentices and can support that recruitment directly.

There are significant challenges for all stakeholders in increasing the uptake of apprenticeships and, specifically, in meeting the targets enunciated in the 2016 action plan. Arguably, the greatest challenge relates to enhancing awareness of apprenticeship among the populace at large. Although awareness of apprenticeship has increased in recent years at policy level, it is a far greater communications challenge to raise public awareness of apprenticeship as a valid and valued option for school leavers. The magnitude of the task is reflected in the stark fact that the total apprenticeship population at the end of the 2017-2018 academic year was 14,871, while the total enrolments in public higher education were 235,644.

It is also arguable that there is a need to simplify the regulatory environment in which the apprenticeship system operates. It remains subject to the Industrial Training Act 1967, legislation that is 50 years old. While this legislation is sturdy and has stood the test of time, it is not easily reconciled with subsequent education and training legislation, particularly that relating to the national quality assurance system. It has led to a very complex, at times overly bureaucratic system within which to develop the new apprenticeship model. While all the stakeholders have worked collaboratively to make the system work, it has undoubtedly hindered the agility and responsiveness of the system, delaying the throughput of programmes and making it very difficult to predict and deliver registration targets.

As national supporters of the apprenticeship model, THEA's view is that apprenticeship is an integral hub in the overall provision of education and training. Our members are significant providers and supporters of the model. We believe that with streamlined employer support, a focus on simplifying the interpretation of the regulations, a re-visit of the recruitment targets in collaboration with the consortia and other stakeholders and a targeted public awareness campaign, the model can be enhanced to reach its full potential.