Paul Kehoe (Wexford, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

Mr. McLoughlin is in a different position. His father has his own electrical business. Everybody in school would have thought he would go on to work in his father's business and that is the way it is. I will ask about people who are totally outside of the area of apprenticeships. I will use the construction apprenticeships as an example because that is where we have big shortages and they are the apprenticeships we have to keep promoting. In 20 years, we will still not have enough plumbers and carpenters to keep up with demand for retrofitting, new builds, rebuilds and just general maintenance. I was talking to a friend of mine the other day. He is building a house and will have to wait two months to get an electrician. That example is replicated right across the country. Is it frowned upon for a student to do an apprenticeship instead of a regular college course?