Mr. Paddy Power:

I thank the committee for the invitation to attend and it is a pleasure to speak in front of members.

I worked in the hospitality industry for 14 years. At 15 years of age I commenced working in the industry on a part-time basis and straight after I completed my leaving certificate, I began to work in the industry full time. When I reached my late 20s, I became concerned about my long-term career because I knew that the hospitality industry is a single man's game and a young man's game. I could not envisage myself working in the industry when I was in my 40s and 50s. I panicked a little because I was in my late 20s, my only work experience was in the hospitality industry and I knew that if I was going to have to start from scratch, it would be from the ground up. I saw a newspaper advertisement on apprenticeships and, specifically, an insurance apprenticeship, which was published in The Peoplebased in Wexford. Wright's Insurance Brokers in Wexford offered the apprenticeship, which is where I still work. They offered earn-and-learn, on-the-job experience, which stood out. I thought to myself that I would simultaneously access academic study and on-the-job training, and graduate with a fantastic qualification in three years. I know a few friends who, having attended college for three or four years, secured a fantastic qualification but it took a further year or two of working in an office or wherever to gain valuable experience. I quickly realised that an insurance apprenticeship scheme would give me the best of both worlds. Before I started the apprenticeship, I searched for a few different jobs in the hospitality industry but there was not a whole lot available. Now, because of the apprenticeship and qualification that I have attained, on a weekly basis I receive job offers in person or via email, LinkedIn or whatever. That is simply because of the skills that I gained from the apprenticeship. The insurance apprenticeship has been promoted a lot. As was mentioned earlier, the scheme had 65 apprentices in the first year; in 2017, the number of apprentices increased to 85; and this year, the number has increased to 95 apprentices. The popularity of the scheme is growing steadily.

In 2016, when I started in Wexford only Wright's Insurance Brokers and Zurich Ireland were the only two employers taking on insurance apprentices in the county. This year, five brokers have taken on insurance apprentices in the county. In Wright's Insurance Brokers, which is where I am based, I am in the third year of my apprenticeship, another person is in the second year and yet another is in the first year. That means there is a constant pipeline of skills coming through. When I finish my apprenticeship in August, a new apprentice will be taken on in September. I cannot speak highly enough about the programme, how I have been treated and how my employer treats me. The programme is especially good because I have learned so many skills due to working in various departments of the brokerage. I have experienced different aspects of the industry. No question is stupid or silly. My employer, SOLAS, the Insurance Institute of Ireland and the Institute of Technology Sligo have also been fantastic.