Dr. Mary-Liz Trant:

I thank the joint committee for the opportunity to contribute to the round-table discussion on the future funding of higher education and the key areas for consideration in this regard. Committee members will be aware of the decision by the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation, and Science, Deputy Harris, to establish a new national apprenticeship office to drive implementation of the Action Plan for Apprenticeship 2021-2025. It is my privilege to have been appointed interim director of the new office.

Higher education plays an extremely important role in our national apprenticeship system. The majority of our 62 national programmes include training that is provided by technological universities, institutes of technology, the University of Limerick and privately-run or not-for-profit higher education colleges, including the National College of Ireland and Griffith College. This training is provided in close partnership with education and training boards and other further education providers. Funding of €200 million has been allocated by Government this year to support apprenticeship provision, with a substantial portion of this coming from the National Training Fund. The fund, made up of a levy of PRSI contributions by employers, supports ongoing investment in and expansion of the apprenticeship system. This funding is extremely important as we work to clear the backlog of apprentices delayed in their training during 2020 and 2021 by the Covid-19 pandemic.

Apprenticeship is a dual model that combines learning in the workplace, at least 50% on-the-job, and learning delivered by an education and training provider. Over 8,300 employers who currently use apprenticeship as a talent pipeline place a high value on the learning their apprentices complete in the education environment. It is intended that the number of employers using apprenticeship will grow significantly over the next four years, with 10,000 apprentice registrations per annum by 2025, requiring a significant expansion of the system.

Last year, the Minister, Deputy Harris, provided an additional €10 million of investment in apprenticeship facilities across higher education, with a matching additional €10 million for further education. To fulfil the ambition and the targets that are set out in the action plan, investment will need to continue this year and in subsequent years as Ireland works to deliver on major targets, including the building of 300,000 new homes by 2030 and the massive programme to retrofit our current housing stock. Technological universities and other higher education institutions have a vital role to play in supporting apprenticeship expansion and in ensuring that apprentices receive high-quality training that equips them for their careers and their contribution to the prosperity and growth of our country.

In addition to construction, electrical and engineering-related apprenticeships, we now have a vibrant suite of apprenticeship programmes in areas that include tech, biopharma, financial services, healthcare, hospitality and manufacturing. Apprentices can achieve qualifications at degree level, masters level and to date, we have one PhD apprenticeship for principal engineers.

The national apprenticeship system provides multiple lifelong learning opportunities where people can complete advanced apprenticeships as part of their career progression or as a means of changing career.

We expect to have up to 70 national programmes available by the end of this year. There is a strong pipeline of industry engagement and of new apprenticeships coming down the line. Higher education institutions are actively responding to this demand and are planning how a much larger and more mainstream apprenticeship offering forms part of their overall activities, alongside academic provision, research and service to the community.

Just like all other learning opportunities, access, diversity and inclusion are extremely important within the national apprenticeship system. The Action Plan for Apprenticeship includes a significant number of actions that will accelerate the number of women apprentices, those with disabilities and other under-represented groups. A dedicated access committee is being established to advise the apprenticeship office in this work. A first step is already under way with introduction of a gender-based bursary for eligible apprenticeship employers.

Progress has also been made in promoting positive mental health within the apprenticeship community. The R U OK? campaign encourages apprentices, teachers and employers to have healthy conversations about mental health. Resources are available on www.apprenticeship.ie, including great short videos made by apprentices talking about their own experiences and encouraging each other to ask on a regular basis, "Are you okay?" A second phase of the campaign is getting under way shortly, with great support from the higher education community.

I look forward to the discussion at today’s round-table session. I thank the committee for the opportunity to talk about apprenticeship within a progressive and vibrant tertiary education system that we are working on for now and into the future. Go raibh maith agaibh go léir.