Niall Collins (Limerick County, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I wish to reiterate the point made earlier. It is about destigmatising the notion and concept of apprenticeships and some of the courses and options available in the further education sector. For people who do not get their first choice or their desired choice, it is not about taking a step backwards to go forwards, it is about taking a step sideways to move forward again. Opportunities are there as the Minister, Deputy Harris, outlined in his opening remarks, where people who do not get their first choice can take a different option and achieve their desired course in the higher education institute.

There are now apprenticeship offerings in financial services, digital marketing and digital skills. It is moving into the new spheres, getting away from the traditional apprenticeships which some people look down their noses on. We all have a role to play in giving leadership and changing the mindset. We also need to educate people who contact us. The cancellation of the written leaving cert and the move to calculated grades has resulted in an increase in the number of people contacting us who have been disappointed that they have not achieved their desired course because of the pressure and the bit of grade inflation that we know about. When we point out the options, we find that many of them have not researched the available options to achieve what they want.