Niall Collins (Limerick County, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I thank Deputy Stanton. One of the five overarching objectives of the Action Plan for Apprenticeships, apprenticeships for all, is to ensure the profile of the apprenticeship population better reflects our general population. The plan promotes access, diversity and inclusion in apprenticeships and offers targeted supports to participants from underrepresented and socioeconomically disadvantaged groups. The National Apprenticeship Alliance established an access and inclusion subcommittee in early 2023 and has set specific targets for interventions in this regard.

The access to apprenticeship incentive supports the transition of young people from socioeconomically disadvantaged backgrounds into the apprenticeship scheme. For eligible participants, and we discussed this earlier, support grants for the apprentice and the employer are available. Various technological universities, including TU Shannon in Athlone and ATU in Galway, are participating in all of this.

We have also been working to help young people in the care of the State to access third-level education and €100,000 has been secured in 2024 for bursaries of €3,000 each to support care leavers who wish to pursue apprenticeships. These targeted supports are intended to make a real difference by making it more attractive and viable for all ages and backgrounds to choose the apprenticeship route to careers and qualifications. We are committed to assessing on the basis of their impact how more of the crucial objective can be achieved.

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