Mr. Andrew Brownlee:

There was the new apprenticeship action plan in 2015, but the education and training boards, ETBs, which provide further education and training, were relatively new then. They were formed only in 2013, the same year our organisation was, so they were still getting to grips with their role in the regions, what they needed to provide and the structures of their organisation. When the two new apprenticeship calls came along, they were probably not at a sufficient stage of maturity to get the full potential value out of them, and that is why we need constantly to look at what they have to offer. There are many opportunities in the green skills space and in construction. One ETB has developed a scaffolding apprenticeship and there is talk in another ETB about creating a construction technician one. There is a significant opportunity to support the ETBs to come forward with new proposals regarding apprenticeships.