Written answers

Tuesday, 8 July 2014

Department of Education and Skills

Apprenticeship Programmes

Photo of Maureen O'SullivanMaureen O'Sullivan (Dublin Central, Independent)
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300. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if he will report on Ireland’s engagement with the European Alliance for Apprenticeships which is intended to bring together efforts of member states, social partners, business, other relevant actors and the European Commission to improve the quality and supply of apprenticeships across the EU; if he will further report on activity here on the setting up, reviving or modernising existing apprenticeship schemes, drawing on lessons from successful models and on transnational co-operation, including mobility; if he will report on efforts to promote national and transnational partnerships for developing and fostering work-based learning in companies; if he will also report on efforts made to change mindsets towards apprenticeship-type learning by promoting the benefits of apprenticeship systems; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [29912/14]

Photo of Ruairi QuinnRuairi Quinn (Dublin South East, Labour)
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Earlier this year I confirmed to Commissioner Vassiliou and Commssioner Andor from the European Commission, Ireland's support for the European Alliance for Apprenticeships and that Ireland will continue to ensure that the Irish Apprenticeship System meets the requirements of all relevant stakeholders.

Under the Action Plan for Jobs my Department committed to undertaking a review of the Irish Apprenticeship System in 2013. Part of this process involved producing a Background Paper on the structures and systems of the current Irish Apprenticeship system and also examined the Apprentice models in a number of other countries including Germany, Finland and Norway.

Following the completion of the Background Paper, an Independent Apprenticeship Review Group completed a review of the Irish Apprenticeship System and submitted a report to my Department at the end of 2013. The Group made a number of recommendations regarding a new structure for Apprenticeship in Ireland, which is envisaged as being relevant to a much wider group of enterprise sectors. Recommendations were also made in relation to current apprenticeships.

Following on from the Review and a subsequent consultation with key stakeholders, I published an Implementation Plan for the review's recommendations on the 30th June 2014. As part of this plan a new Apprenticeship Council is to be appointed in the near future. The Council will be enterprise led and have representatives from business, trade unions, further and higher education bodies. It will be hosted by SOLAS, the further education and training body with an independent chairperson.

The first job of work of the new Apprenticeship Council will be to make a call for proposals from industry for new apprenticeships. It will then evaluate and submit proposals to my Department. Alongside this work, the curricula for current apprenticeships will continue to be reviewed under existing structures. Five trades (Electrical, Plumbing, Carpentry and Joinery, Metal Fabrication and Heavy Vehicle Mechanics) are currently being reviewed by SOLAS. The implementation plan envisages accelerated arrangements for reviewing the remaining trades.

I wish to see the outcome of this process to inform efforts to promote apprenticeship to learners, parents, employers and those involved in career guidance. It should be noted that apprenticeship is currently a demand led system requiring the securing of employment as a means of entry.

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