Dr. Jim Murray:

One aspect that is very important is that apprentices are employed. Contracts of employment have to be arranged, so we must have committed employers who want to work this model. What has happened with the new apprenticeships is that these consortia come together and there is almost a sharing of all of the different dimensions. There is the quality assurance side, academic development and curriculum development, which is the education and training speciality. Employers are committed to the apprenticeship model – the earn-and-learn model – as a way of bringing in skilled workers into their firms. There are different cultures. Since the 2016 apprenticeships came online, there has been extensive engagement between different sectors and the education and training community, whether it is ETBs or technological universities.

One of the big issues that remains is the attractiveness of apprenticeships. For all of the stakeholders in a particular sector, whether that sector is sufficiently organised to be able to put it together is a significant issue. We use the word "industry", but, of course, industry is amorphous; it is massive. There are so many different sectors. Sectoral organisation is a key aspect. Where you see success is where you have good cohesion and organisation and where those involved in a sector are able to come together and engage fruitfully with the education sector.