Ms Claire McGee:

Yes. This is not recognised as a training programme because it is not on the national qualifications framework and is a special purpose award. If we could perhaps do a little work on getting that recognition for it, it would fulfil the Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection's requirements in respect of being able to manage a back to work allowance or retain or receive a social welfare payment. This is critical if we think about the cohort who will be involved. This is also very much focused on a pilot scheme within Dublin city centre, within DIT, and again, what we now need to see for it to be successful is a mainstreaming across the system. A programme such as this could easily work in Limerick, Cork or Galway, where there are equal socio-economic issues that need to be addressed and particular challenges or certain regional employers who need specific skills. How can we look at rolling this out on a more national basis and get more education and training providers to get involved?

Picking up on the point about female participation, there were two ladies who participated in this programme. They happen to be sisters. One has not managed to progress to a full-time apprenticeship. One was 20 and the other was 16, so the latter was just slightly too young to take on the full programme. Nonetheless, they are being used front and centre of the programme's campaign to showcase that this is a very good avenue for females to consider if they want to consider apprenticeships in the future.