Anne Rabbitte (Galway East, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I thank my colleague, Deputy Thomas Byrne, for giving me the opportunity to speak to the motion. As a former chairperson of the Galway and Roscommon Education and Training Board, GRETB, in Galway, I understand the value of the apprenticeship programme. I attended an awards ceremony for young people who had come through the crisis and whose employers had stood with them when there was a downturn in the economy. At the time there were only 110 employers who were in a position to take on young people. They will reap the rewards now that they have stuck with it. However, we must also consider that it is not just about trades. We must look at heavy goods vehicle, HGV, mechanics and chefs. Employers are very much crying out for HGV mechanics land we cannot find them anywhere across Europe. We have industry that will support the trades, but even the likes of the large bin companies in Dublin are on their knees in looking for HGV mechanics and apprentices. I know that they have approached various ETBs about the matter. Perhaps this is something the Minister of State is embracing. If so, it is welcome because the matter is very important.

Another element that might feed into the reason there is such a low uptake by females might be adult literacy. We need to look at it because it seems one in six people struggle with adult literacy. I wonder if this plays a part in the issue. When we talk about apprenticeship programmes and people making it all the way through their education, perhaps not everyone will get through at a high level. The National Adult Literacy Agency has done a lot of work on this issue and a lot of statistics, into which the Minister of State should reach.

I compliment my colleague, Deputy Fiona O'Loughlin. As she said, we want apprenticeships to be accessible and affordable. We need to focus on second level education because while the drive is for Central Applications Office points, there are other ways to gain job opportunities than through third level education.

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