Maeve O'Connell (Dublin Rathdown, Fine Gael)

I used to teach in ITB and more latterly in TU Dublin. My experience there was sometimes disappointing in the sense that there would often be students in the classes who were really square pegs in round holes. They were perfectly able to get through it but it was not a good fit for them. That is part of our culture about everyone having to go to college. If people do not succeed at higher education, do we have pathways so they can move into apprenticeships? Is there consideration of their credits or ways they can transfer across? There has been mention of a lot of programmes in which people could potentially make that transfer across and doing so might be more suitable for them. What are the organisations doing to try to reach to schools and equalise the viewpoint of apprenticeships? Many of the programmes that are available and being mentioned are what the students would be interested in, but the students are being pushed towards college. We end up with that square peg in a round hole situation. It is particularly poignant because students' self-esteem is hit if it has not worked out even if they are actually perfectly fine. It is just that the teaching and learning methods did not suit them. What is being done to address those challenges?