John Cregan (Limerick West, Fianna Fail)
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Question 140: To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment if apprentice electricians, who have been made redundant and have had their final phase of training accommodated by the ESB, will be facilitated further, subsequent to completing their final phase in college, by providing them with the necessary twelve weeks work experience. [40421/09]

Dara Calleary (Mayo, Fianna Fail)
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The apprenticeship system is a modular standards based system comprising of seven alternating phases of on-the-job and off-the-job training and development. Phases 1, 3, 5 and 7 are the on-the job phases and take place with a FÁS approved employer while the off-the-job phases 2, 4, and 6 are delivered in FÁS Training Centres; Institutes of Technology or Colleges of Further Education.

ESB Networks are providing up to 400 places, over two years, of on-the-job training, to redundant Electrical Apprentices. These places are at phase 5 on-the-job, which is 26 weeks in duration. ESB Networks will also provide on-the job training to apprentices at phase 7, which is 12 weeks in duration. Phase 7 is the final phase of the apprenticeship programme.

To qualify for the Advanced Certificate Craft an apprentice must successfully complete all phases (1-7) of the Standards Based apprenticeship programme and have completed a minimum of 4 years in employment as an apprentice in the specified trade.

In the case where a redundant apprentice has complete phase 5 with ESB Networks successfully, and has also completed phase 6 successfully, their names will be submitted to ESB Networks by FÁS on a longest redundant basis for consideration for phase 7.

An allocation of a phase 7 placement will depend on the outcome of the interview process undertaken by ESB Networks and the availability of places in ESB Networks at that time.