Mary Moran (Labour) | Oireachtas source

I welcome the Minister of State, Deputy Cannon, to the House to discuss the reform of further education and training and the apprenticeship system. The review group was set up in May 2013 with the remit to examine the future of apprenticeships and to consult with the relevant stakeholders such as training-providers, employers and unions. We are still struggling to transition from an apprenticeship system centred on the construction sector and related trades. There is ample opportunity for an apprenticeship culture to take hold in other employment sectors.

This will require us to build on the already close partnerships that exist between training providers, Departments, employers and apprentices to collect data in order to make the system as effective and relevant as possible and to branch the system into new sectors.

The findings of the review group were published at the end of January. These highlighted the strengths in the current system, including positive feedback from learners and employers - such feedback is always important, as it is from this that we learn the most - the close partnership between education, training providers and employers, active participation by the trade unions, the significant contribution made by craft persons to energy provision, infrastructural development, manufacturing, the high-tech sector, transport, construction and the high demand for Irish apprentices internationally. We have a strong foundation on which to build these reforms.

The group proposed actions that would change the landscape of the apprenticeship system, one of the most important of which was the expansion of the system into new business and industrial sectors, with employers taking on the role of identifying occupations that would be suitable for apprenticeships. Another key and commonsensical recommendation was that of a constant review of apprenticeships and adapting placements and qualifications on a trade-by-trade basis over time. Flexibility and expansion in the system are crucial to providing quality placements for those seeking to pursue apprenticeships.

I strongly echo the call by the Minister for Education and Skills, Deputy Quinn, earlier this year that apprenticeships should not predominantly appeal to men. I recall the first time I called an electrician to my house many years ago. I believe I was just married. I was amazed and delighted to find that a female apprentice accompanied the electrician. Senator D'Arcy referred to Mr. Neven Maguire, the male chef. Thank God we are branching out from occupations being predominantly male or female. It is good to see men in the kitchen, too.

This weakness was identified by the review group and could be addressed by refocusing our apprenticeship system to encapsulate the new business and industrial sectors. We could see an increase in female interest in and take-up of apprenticeships if this were to be done. A part of the male-dominated nature of apprenticeships was the strong focus on construction-related work.

A key component has been in place since the start of the year when SOLAS came on stream. With the establishment of the 16 regional education and training boards, ETBs, this has put the structural elements that are required to reform the apprenticeship system in place. I look forward to continued engagement and debate on the ETBs' performance and reiterate my hope that they will actively and positively engage, not only with the relevant government structures, but with the apprentices, employers and trade unions, and will continue building on the strong foundation. The Minister has requested that the review group's recommendations be discussed further with stakeholders with a view to progressing to implementation. I look forward to the completion of this process and a further debate when the outcomes have been announced.

Since long before the collapse, there has been a call to align training and education with job market demand more closely. The Department of Education and Skills and the Minister of State were instrumental in ensuring that this specific goal was included in the Action Plan for Jobs 2014. While live register figures have decreased for 19 consecutive months, we still have an unacceptable unemployment rate and continue to strive to provide opportunities for the long-term unemployed. The Action Plan for Jobs 2014 places a priority on further education and training for these people. Prior to the plan, the Department of Education and Skills co-ordinated with employers in the Irish market and Dundalk Institute of Technology in my area to establish courses that focused on in-demand skills.

I continue to be concerned about the collection of data. In this regard, I noted Dr. John Sweeney's autumn 2013 review for the Department. He shared the same concern, citing a list of principles that should guide the strategy for further education and training over the short to medium term with the robust evaluation of outcomes based on ongoing collection and assessment of data key to creating and adapting successful programmes. We have been left with the previous Government's legacy of little self-assessment. The main focus will always be on assisting the long-term unemployed, school leavers, early school leavers, persons with disabilities and others who wish to upskill. However, we must also focus on assessment in this area if we want to continue providing the appropriate training, apprenticeships and education.

We have many legacy issues to deal with, but more than could previously have been imagined have already been addressed. The Government is working to achieve reform through the establishment of SOLAS and the 16 ETBs, a complete and ongoing review of the apprenticeship system with further consultation, the alignment of job market needs with education and training courses and opportunities, and continued engagement with the relevant stakeholders. Unfortunately, reform on a whole-country basis may not come as quickly as we would like. I wholeheartedly agree with the sentiments voiced by Senator D'Arcy, in that, if we are to do it, we must do it once and do it right.