Dr. Mary-Liz Trant:

I will make up a couple of points on the contributions thus far. We talked about employers and the role of employers comes through very clearly. The Apprenticeship Council has been engaging with employers involved in the new apprenticeships to discuss how things are going and the roll-out. One of the issues that has emerged is that in apprenticeship programmes where a large number of employers went through the apprenticeship route, these employers are great champions of the programmes. Mr. Martin McVicar was mentioned as an example. He went through the apprenticeship route, understands it and is very committed to it as a way of learning and also of having a pipeline of talent.

In the newer apprenticeships in finance and even in the area of ICT, many employers have never engaged with an apprenticeship before. We are doing a major piece of work to engage employers and get their buy-in because it is very influential. The voices and experiences of the apprentices are the other issue. The first graduates have come through from these new apprenticeship programmes and we will have more next year. That social spread of people who are buying into and want apprenticeship opportunities is starting to shift but there is much more to do. Part of the generation apprenticeship campaign is about changing that narrative. At the heart of the messaging is that apprenticeship is a mode of learning and a choice. We have to promote that.

To return briefly to Senator Ruane's point, through the pathways review, we gathered as much information as we could on the social background and profile of apprentices. We know that 85% are men under 25 years, 2.8% declared a disability and just 2% are women. Interestingly, one of the new apprenticeships has more women than men but the majority of the traditional apprenticeships have a tiny number of women and, in some cases, none. We have some of that information but in the pathways review we commit to getting more information in that area and to building that picture and understanding. That is really important.

Deputy Funchion raised a point about apprenticeships in barbering and hairdressing. We have an apprenticeship in development in that area. It is planned to roll that out next year and it will include hairdressing and barbering. We know the industry is really enthused and excited about this and view it as a structured way of getting opportunities for people who want to get into the industry. It is also a way apprentices to earn and learn as they go through the programme.

To address a point Mr. O'Flaherty raised regarding the overall picture of awareness, we are working on what we are calling a jobs market where employers will be able to advertise vacancies. It will be available on www.apprenticeship.ie. The Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection, schools, guidance counsellors and employers will be able to provide this level of visibility of apprenticeship opportunities. Where employers are finding it difficult to find apprentices or apprentices are not hearing about opportunities, we will be able to improve that. We are working on that now and we hope to pilot it by the end of the year with a number of employers and then roll it out in 2019. We believe it will be significant as part of that awareness-raising work.