Simon Harris (Wicklow, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I thank Deputy Moynihan for the question. He is so right. Some of the biggest challenges we have involve increasing awareness and perhaps bringing about cultural and attitudinal change in regard to what we traditionally might have called the crafts, the trades or vocational education. I am committed to enhancing pathways for people after secondary school to try to move the conversation on, to show that there are different pathways to get a qualification and to emphasise that an apprenticeship is a real and substantive career pathway for learners. Working closely with the Minister of State, Deputy Niall Collins, I published the action plan for apprenticeships, which aims to make apprenticeships more visible, more recognised and more appreciated by learners, parents, families and career guidance professionals. We have seen some positive signs on foot of a dedicated information campaign to promote apprenticeship as an attractive route to qualification and as a career pathway, including the highest number of newly registered apprentices on record last year.

The development of more vocational options and pathways, including apprenticeship taster courses at transition year, is being examined. We are working closely with the Minister, Deputy Foley, on the issue of senior cycle reform with the National Council for Curriculum and Assessment. I believe that if you can expose - for want of a better word - somebody in transition year to an apprenticeship, it could be very helpful. A central goal is to try to improve the provision of information to school leavers so that they have access to the same level of information about apprenticeships as they have about higher education.

I meet many people who are studying to be an apprentice. When I ask them if they came in straight from school, many of them laugh at me and say they only found out about it a few years after they left school. That needs to change. That is why we changed the CAO website to give apprenticeships the same parity of visibility as higher education. That is why we have launched a new national apprenticeship office. That is why we are providing a freefone guidance and advice helpline for any student or parent who wants information. Reaching schools and career guidance counsellors who can influence young people is so important. The National Apprenticeship Office is continuing to work with the Institute of Irish Guidance Counsellors to promote and increase awareness of apprenticeships.

Although people sometimes say this is not the case, I detect a real appetite from guidance counsellors to do what is best for their students and to have more information in this area. My Department has developed a careers in construction action plan, which we launched last August. This includes a new social media campaign that targets school leavers where they may find their information. Other communication initiatives include a new documentary on apprenticeships that will be available to all school students this year.

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